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UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00025330259 


This  book  may  be  kept  out  one  month  unless  a  recall 
notice  is  sent  to  you.  It  must  be  brought  to  the  North 
Carolina  Collection  (in  Wilson  Library)  for  renewal. 


4mftfm^aNi£S 


Form  No.  A-369 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


THE  COLLECTION  OF 
NORTH  CAROLINIANA 

PRESENTED  BY 

John  L.  Sanders 


C813 
D86b 
c.  2 


SHEPHERD    M.    DUGGER. 


Frontispiece. 


THE 


BALSAM   GROVES 


OF   THE 


GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN: 


A  TALE  OF   THE   WESTERN  NORTH    CAROLINA 

MOUNTAINS. 

TOGETHER    WITH 

INFORMATION   RELATING   TO   THE   SECTION  AND   ITS 

HOTELS,  ALSO   A   TABLE   SHOWING  THE  HEIGHT 

OF   IMPORTANT   MOUNTAINS,  ETC. 

< 

BY 

SHEPHERD    M.    DUGGER. 


ILLUSTR.A.TKD. 


BANNER    ELK : 

SHEPHERD    M.    DUGGER. 
1892. 


Copyright,  1892,  by  Shepherd  M.  Dugger. 


Printed  by  J.  B.  Lippincott  Company,  Philadelphia. 


TO   THE  LOVERS   OF 

THE   SUBLIME   AND    THE   BEAUTIFUL, 

AND  ESPECIALLY  THOSE  WHO  HAVE  GRASPED  MY  MOUNTAIN  PALM, 
THIS    VOLUME    IS    DEDICATED. 

THE    AUTHOR. 


-2 


7 

i 


<^ 


PREFACE. 


As  the  firm  foundation  of  a  house  is  less  at- 
tractive than  the  painted  columns  and  modillions 
which  it  sup2:>orts,  so  the  first  chapter  of  our 
story  is  the  stratum  of  understanding  that  under- 
lies a  more  beautiful  fabric  of  knowledge.  It 
locates  the  scenes  in  Western  North  Carolina, 
on  the  great  evergreen  Grandfather  Mountain, 
whose  highest  point  is  the  everlasting  corner- 
stone of  three  counties,  Watauga,  Caldwell,  and 
Mitchell. 

The  object  of  the  author  has  been  to  supply 
the  great  need  of  a  book  that  would  introduce 
to  the  outside  world  a  section  of  country  which, 
until  recently,  has  been  almost  unknown  and 
obscure,  but  nevertheless  is  rich  in  soil,  replete 
with  iron  ore,  and  with  fine  forests  of  valuable 
trees,  checkered  with  rapid,  flowing  streams  of 
limpid  water,  decked  with  a  thousand  hills, 
fortressed  with  ponderous  mountains  tall  and 
rugged,  and  pictured  with  wild  and  varied  land- 
scapes. 

The  writer  was  cradled  in  the  loving  arms  of 

i*  5 


6  PREFACE. 

maternal  toil  in  one  of  the  first  rude  log  cabins 
constructed  in  the  morning  and  evening  shadows 
of  the  beautiful  mountains  with  which  he  has 
grown  up  in  love,  and  every  scene  described  is 
as  familiar  to  him  as  w^ere  the  blooming  vines 
in  which  the  humming-birds  nestled  around  the 
home  of  his  childhood. 

''  The  Balsam  Groves  of  the  Grandfather 
Mountain"  is  a  story  founded  on  facts.  The 
roads,  streams,  fountains,  places,  mountains,  and 
distances  are  real ;  the  picture  of  the  character 
Rollingbumb  will  be  hailed  with  delight  by 
thousands  of  mountaineers,  who  will  recognize 
it  as  the  likeness  of  a  familiar  friend ;  the  de- 
scription of  the  Salmer  estate  on  the  banks  of 
the  Linville  will  touch  to  tears  a  prominent 
gentleman  now  residing  in  the  city  of  Richmond, 
Virginia ;  and  the  genuine  name  William  West 
Skiles  will  thrill  the  hearts  of  many  a  North 
Carolinian. 

"  The  Western  Gate- way  to  the  Highlands," 
following  the  story,  is  as  fair  a  representation  of 
truth  as  the  writer  could  possibly  formulate ;  and 
"  The  Hotels  in  the  Land  of  the  Sky"  is  intended 
to  be  such  an  unerring  guide  to  health-  and  pleas- 
ure-seekers that  strangers  will  not  be  disappointed 
when  they  visit  the  scenes. 

The    search   for   the   body   of    Rev.    Elisha 


PREFACE.  7 

Mitchell,  D.D.,  having  been  written  by  Hon. 
Z.  B.  Vance,  needs  no  comment. 

For  the  ^'  Journal  of  Andre  Michaux"  and  its 
introduction,  we  are  indebted  to  the  American 
Philosophical  Society  of  Philadelphia. 

Three  of  the  poems,  viz.,  "  The  Land  of  the 
Sky,''  "The  Iron  Horse  is  Coming,"  and 
"  Boone,"  have  been  furnished  by  our  esteemed 
friend,  "The  Bard  of  the  Highlands;"  while 
"  The  Ballad  of  the  Beech"  has  fallen  from  the 
euphonious  quill  of  "  Chuckey  Joe,"  our  estima- 
ble former  associate  from  the  city  of  Baltimore, 
Maryland. 

The  table  of  North  Carolina  elevations  has 
been  collected  from  heights  ascertained  and  pub- 
lished by  State  and  United  States  officials. 

In  the  ample  field  which  our  little  volume 
discloses,  the  most  luxuriant  rambler  may  range 
at  large,  visiting  streams  and  mountains  in  end- 
less variety  and  extent,  and,  after  his  boldest 
excursions,  he  can  only  wing  his  way  in  imagi- 
nation among  the  splendid  objects  that  are  still 
before  him. 

The  Author. 


INTRODUCTION. 


"THE  LAND   OF   THE  SKY." 

Will  you   come  to  Grandfather,  "  The   Land  of  the 

Sky," 
Where  a  banquet  of  glory  is  spread  for  the  eye, 
Where  scenes  of  enchantment  enravish  the  soul, 
And  reason  to  rapture  surrenders  control. 

Where  the  mountains  do  rear  their  summits  above 
The  storm  and  the  cloud,  to  the  regions  of  love; 
Where  waters  go  dashing  down  rocky  declines. 
And  the  hills  are  covered  with  evergreen  vines. 

Where  boastino;  musicians  are  wont  to  retire 

When  the  bird  of  the  mountain  tunes  his  sweet  lyre, 

And  lends  to  his  melody  wings  that  can  fly, 

To  scatter  his  song  through  "  The  Land  of  the  Sky." 

Where  fountains  are  gushing  from  every  hill-side. 
All  sparkling  and  cold  as  a  health-giving  tide ; 
An  elixir  of  life  more  tempting  to  sip 
Than  the  cup  that  presses  the  Bacchanal's  lip. 

Where  the  air  is  freighted  with  sweetest  perfume 
Wafted  from  the  flower  when  full  in  its  bloom, 
And  the  breezes  that  float  o'er  mountain's  tall  peak 
Give  back  the  invalid  the  rose  to  his  cheek  ? 

9 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

Ye  seekers  of  pleasure,  oppressed  by  the  heat, 
Come  to  this  region,  'tis  a  pleasant  retreat ; 
Ye  ones  that  are  feeble,  why  linger  and  die. 
Come  up  to  this  beautiful  "  Land  of  the  Sky." 

By  a.  M.  D.,  the  Bard  of  the  Highlands. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTERS    I.— T.  pages 

The  Balsam  Groves  of  the  Grandfather  Mountain — A  Story  in 
Five  Brief  Chapters,  associating  the  Quaint  and  Uncultured 
Pioneer  Mountaineers  with  the  Eefined  and  Learned  of  the 
City 13-93 

CHAPTER    YI. 

The  Western  Gate- Way  to  the  Highlands — The  Cranberry 
Railroad — The  Yale  of  the  Watauga — Andrew  Johnson — 
Thomas  A.  R.  Nelson — The  Heroes  of  King's  Mountain — 
William  G.  Brownlow — Andrew  Jackson — The  Taylor 
Brothers,  Bob  and  Alf — Landen  C.  Haynes — The  Stem- 
Winder — The  Doe  River  Gorge — Roan  Mountain  Station 
and  Cloudland  Hotel — The  Cranberry  Iron-Mines — The 
Future  of  Elizabeth  town — A  Railroad  Poem 94-107 

CHAPTER  YII. 

The  Hotels  in  the  Land  of  the  Sky— Elk  Park— Banner  Elk 
— Cranberry  Hotel — The  Cranberry  Mines — Linville — Hax- 
lan  P.  Kelsey's  Nursery  of  Wild  Flowers,  Forest  Trees,  etc. 
— Eseeola  Inn — The  Yonahlossee  Road,  the  Grandest  Drive 
in  the  South — Grandfather  Hotel — ShuU's  Mills — Blowing 
Rock,  the  Popular  Summer  Resort  on  the  Crest  of  the  Blue 
Ridge — Boone  (the  Highest  Court-House  in  North  Caro- 
lina) described  in  Elegant  Yerse — Yalle  Crucis  (Yale  of 
the  Cross) 108-143 

CHAPTER  YIIL 

The  Journal  of  Andre  Michaux,  the  French  Naturalist,  who 
travelled  in  the  Mountains  of  North  Carolina  in  July  and 
August,  1794,  gathering  Shrubs,  Seeds,  and  Plants  for  the 

11 


12  CONTENTS. 

PAGES 

Koyal  Gardens  of  Paris — A  Brief  Sketch  of  his  Life — An  Ex- 
tract from  his  Diary,  including  his  Journey  to  Black  Moun- 
tain, Roan,  Yellow,  Grandfather,  Hawk-bill,  Table  Rock, 
etc.,  together  with  the  Names  of  the  Plants  he  collected: 
highly  Entertaining  to  all  Persons  interested  in  the  History 
of  Botanical  Discovery  in  America 144-160 

A  Dictionary  or  Altitudes  showing  the  Heights  of  Im- 
portant Places  and  Mountains  in  Western  North  Carolina 
and  East  Tennessee 161-174 

CHAPTER   IX. 

The  Search  for  the  Body  of  Rev.  Elisha  Mitchell,  D.D., 
written  by  Hon.  Z.  B.  Vance — A  Dispute  between  Dr. 
Mitchell  and  Hon.  T.  L.  Clingman  as  to  which  of  the  Two 
Gentlemen  had  been  First  to  determine  the  Altitude  of  the 
Highest  Peak  East  of  the  Mississippi  River — Dr.  Mitchell 
resolves  to  settle  the  Matter  by  a  Second  Measurement  and 
the  AflSdavits  of  his  Former  Guides — He  is  Lost  on  Black 
Mountain — A  Ten  Days'  Search  by  the  Good  Citizens — 
The  Body  found  in  a  Pool  of  Water — Its  Removal,  Inter- 
ment, etc 175-187 


THE   BALSAM  GROVES 


OF   THE 


GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN. 


CHAPTEE    I. 

THE    GRANDFATHER. 

A  lowly  thatched  cottage  in  humble  attire, 
With  chimney  adaub  and  a  broad  open  fire ; 
A  string  for  its  latch-key,  three  strangers  within. 
And  far  away  moved  from  the  city's  loud  din. 

The  lay  of  my  land  and  tlie  lays  of  my  story 
are  commingled  in  the  zigzag  windings  of  moun- 
tain topograj^liy. 

The  general  direction  of  the  Blue  Ridge  is 
from  northeast  to  southwest,  but  on  a  sublime 
spot  in  North  Carolina  it  swerves  and  runs  north 
for  the  distance  of  three  miles,  and  then  turns 
again  by  an  acute  angle  towards  its  terminus  in 
the  cotton-fields  of  Alabama. 

The  intelligent  reader  will  now  understand 
that  the  part  of  the  Blue  Ridge  generally  spoken 
of  as  the  "  South  Side"  here  faces  the  west,  and 

2  13 


14  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

wliat  would  otherwise  have  beeu  the  "  Western 
Slope"  of  the  great  water-shed  catches  the 
golden  gleams  of  the  rising  sun. 

This  digression  in  the  backbone  of  the  Appa- 
lachians is  also  characterized  by  a  deep  saddle- 
like depression  called  "Linville  Gap,"  in  the 
centre  of  which  the  forest  is  now  broken  by  a 
verdant  meadow  about  a  half  a  mile  in  length 
from  east  to  west,  and  half  as  broad. 

The  pommel  of  this  elegant  land-saddle,  rising 
to  the  south,  forms  the  beautiful  dome  of  Grand- 
father Mountain,  five  thousand  nine  hundred  and 
ninety-six  feet  above  the  foam  of  the  sea ;  while 
the  rear  of  the  equestrian  fixture  rises  into  the 
less  elevated  but  equally  pleasing  heights  of  Dun- 
vegan,  culminating  in  twin  towers  of  stone  man- 
tled with  ivy  and  plumed  with  ferns. 

From  the  beautiful  green  turf  on  the  eastern 
declivity  of  the  mead  referred  to  gushes  and 
trickles  the  first  streamlets  of  the  Watauga, 
which,  being  of  the  Indian  vernacular,  is  said 
by  some  to  mean  "  Beautiful  River,"  by  others, 
"  River  of  Islands,"  and  by  still  others,  *'  River 
of  Reeds." 

On  the  western  slope  of  the  sweet-sodded 
meadow,  and  not  more  than  a  stone's  cast  from 
the  sparkling  source  of  the  Watauga,  rises  the 
rippling  river  of  Linville,  which  took  its  name 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  15 

from  a  family  of  that  nomenclature  who  once 
occupied  its  banks. 

The  Cherokee  name  for  Linville  is  Eseeola; 
and,  while  those  conversant  with  Indian  lore 
have  not  defined  the  word,  it  probably  had  its 
origin  in  the  great  cataract  of  that  stream,  now 
designated  as '"Linville  Falls." 

These  two  crystal  rivers  are  so  kindred  at 
their  sources  that  each  could  easily  be  turned 
into  the  other  by  a  ditch ;  and  yet  they  flow  in 
opposite  directions  and  retreat  into  different 
climes, — the  Linville  passing  through  the  min- 
gled waters  of  the  Catawba,  the  Wateree,  and  the 
Santee  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  while  the  Watauga 
finds  its  way  through  the  channels  of  the  Hol- 
ston,  the  Tennessee,  the  Ohio,  and  the  Mississipj)i 
to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

The  Watauga,  as  it  rushes  and  dallies  to  the 
northeast,  rumbles  and  tumbles  over  ledges  and 
boulders,  under  boughs  of  laurel  and  pine,  re- 
ceiving its  pellucid  tributaries  from  the  green 
glades  of  the  Grandfather  on  the  right,  and 
from  the  Ginseng  and  Crawley  region,  in  the 
foot-hills  of  Dunvegan,  on  the  left.  At  the  end 
of  three  precipitous  miles  from  its  rise,  its  united 
torrents  have  lost  their  leapings  and  blended 
into  a  sweetly  murmuring  stream  that  splits  in 
twain  a  gradually  widening  valley,  at  the  upper 


16  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF  - 

end  of  which  once  lived  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Tom  Toddy,  who  obtained  his  bread  by  hus- 
bandry, and  his  meat  from  the  spoils  of  his  gun. 
His  lone  log  cabin  stood  on  the  left  bank  of 
the  "  Beautiful  River,"  leaving  space  between 
for  a  narrow  yard  and  the  dim  road  outside. 

One  lovely  evening  in  the  month  of  July,  1860, 
when  Sol  was  shooting  his  last  golden  arrows 
across  the  mountain-tops  from  his  rosy  couch 
beyond  the  horizon,  two  men  and  a  lady,  well 
mounted  on  good  steeds,  called  for  admittance  at 
this  humble  cottage. 

Mr.  Toddy  knew  the  older  gentleman  to  be 
the  "  Good"  William  West  Skiles,  an  Episcopa- 
lian clergyman  who  kept  a  school  at  Valle  Crucis 
(Vale  of  the  Cross),  ten  miles  below  on  the 
Watauga. 

Of  the  two  whose  faces  were  not  familiar  in 
that  quarter,  the  gentleman  was  Mr.  Leather- 
shine,  who  had  been  expelled  from  an  institution 
of  learning  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  and 
afterwards  received  by  Mr.  Skiles  at  Valle 
Crucis,  because  it  was  supposed  that  in  that 
sequestered  spot  there  was  no  land  for  the 
culture  of  wild  oats. 

The  beautiful  young  lady,  Miss  Lidie  Meaks, 
was  one  of  the  faculty  of  St.  Mary's  School,  in 
the  city  of  Raleigh.     She  was  a  medium-sized, 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  17 

elegant  figure,  wearing  a  neatly  fitted  travelling 
dress  of  black  alpaca.  Her  raven  black  hair, 
copious  both  in  length  and  volume  and  figured 
like  a  deep  river  rippled  by  the  wind,  was  parted 
in  the  centre  and  combed  smoothly  down,  orna- 
menting her  pink  temples  with  a  flowing  tracery 
that  passed  round  to  its  modillion  windings  on 
a  graceful  crown.  Her  mouth  was  set  with 
pearls  adorned  with  elastic  rubies  and  tuned 
with  minstrel  lays,  while  her  nose  gracefully 
concealed  its  own  umbrage,  and  her  eyes  im- 
parted a  radiant  glow  to  the  azure  of  the  sky. 
Jewels  of  plain  gold  were  about  her  ears  and 
her  tapering  strawberry  hands,  and  a  golden 
chain,  attached  to  a  timekeeper  of  the  same 
material,  sparkled  on  an  elegantly  rounded 
bosom  that  was  destined  to  be  pushed  forward 
by  sighs,  as  the  reader  will  in  due  time  observe. 
Modest,  benevolent,  and  mild  in  manners,  she 
was  probably  the  fairest  of  North  Carolina's 
daughters. 

The  host  received  his  three  guests  with  the 
words,  "  We  are  poor,  but  you  are  welcome  to 
such  as  we  have."  When  they  had  dismounted 
and  come  near  the  door,  Mrs.  Toddy  apologized 
for  the  size  and  inconvenience  of  the  domicile  by 
saying,  "  Come  in,  if  you  can  get  in."  But  Mr. 
Skiles,  knowing  the  embarrassment  that  strange 

b  2* 


18  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

company  brings  upon  the  culinary  labors  of  a 
one-room  cabin,  replied  that  they  would  enjoy 
the  breezes  of  the  yard,  and  view  the  entrancing 
beauties  of  the  great  evergreen  Grandfather,  to 
whose  lofty  sum  mitt  they  were  going  on  the 
morrow. 

In  plain  view,  on  the  northern  slope  of  the 
mountain,  was  the  upright,  stupendous  profile 
of  a  man  carved  in  rock  and  plumed  with  ferns, 
and  in  the  furrows  of  his  face,  worn  by  the 
lapse  of  time,  clung  and  crept  the  most  beautiful 
flowers  and  vines.  Pointing  towards  this  figure 
with  his  cane,  the  minister  said,  '^  See  the  old 
man  of  the  mountains;  when  that  is  silvered 
with  frost  or  blanched  with  snow  it  has  the  ap- 
pearance of  great  age,  and  hence  the  pioneers 
called  it  the  Grandfather,  and  the  mountain  of 
which  it  is  a  part  Grandfather  Mountain." 

"Between  the  old  man  and  the  high  top," 
said  Miss  Meaks,  "  is  a  beautiful  green  tower,  as 
if  supported  within  by  a  column  of  stone." 

"Methinks,"  replied  the  clergyman,  "that  is 
called  the  Haystack,  from  its  marked  resem- 
blance to  a  mound  of  hay." 

The  dame,  who  was  preparing  supper  over 
the  open  fire  within,  was  listening  with  awe  to 
the  high-flown  conversation  without,  and,  as  she 
drew  a  shovelful  of  glowing  coals  from  beneath 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIK.  19 

the  forestick  to  put  under  the  oven  of  bread, 
she  muttered,  "  I  don't  know  how  to  cook  for 
*  big-bugs.'  I've  got  nothin'  fit  for  Equality/ 
and  I  wish  they'd  a-stayed  at  home." 

At  this  instant  the  attention  of  the  party  was 
attracted  by  a  passing  hunter,  by  the  name  of 
Rollingbumb,  who,  having  some  business  with 
Mr.  Toddy,  stepped  into  the  yard  with  a  great 
wild  turkey  swung  under  his  arm  by  a  withe, 
which,  passing  diagonally  up  his  breast,  formed  a 
cross  with  the  leathern  strap  of  his  shot-pouch 
that  hung  on  the  other  side.  He  was  a  square- 
shouldered  man,  six  feet  tall,  with  a  long  firelock 
rifle  on  his  shoulder,  while  from  beneath  his 
buckskin  moccasins  peeped  some  blades  of  grass, 
as  if  to  complain  of  being  ill-used.  His  face 
was  round,  with  great  facilities  for  a  beard, 
though,  like  Julius  Caesar,  he  never  wore  one. 
His  high  forehead  was  half  obscured  by  a  brim- 
less  coon-skin  cap,  having  the  beautifully  ringed 
tail  of  the  animal  attached  to  the  hinder  part, 
where  it  hung  down  his  back,  and  rolled  to  and 
fro  at  the  will  of  a  gentle  breeze.  He  wore  a 
Turkey-red  blouse,  in  native  parlance,  "hunt- 
ing-shirt," the  same  being  drawn  close  about 
him  by  the  long  corners,  which  were  tied  to- 
gether in  front  just  below  the  waistband  of  his 
homespun  pants.     Such  was  the  development  of 


20  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

hair  about  his  chest  and  shoulders,  that  it  grew 
up  and  hung  out  over  his  shirt-collar  in  black 
l^rofusion  like  a  fringe.  This  feature  of  his 
person  was  so  significant  that  a  deaf-mute,  who 
made  himself  understood  by  motioning,  told  that 
RoUingbumb  had  killed  a  bear,  by  indicating 
that  it  was  done  by  the  man  with  a  hairy  neck. 

Mr.  Skiles  approached  the  hunter  and  asked 
to  see  his  game,  whereupon  he  placed  his  thumb 
under  the  withe  and,  passing  it  quickly  over  his 
cap,  laid  the  great  bird  on  the  ground.  The 
minister  examined  the  graceful  beard,  which  was 
twelve  inches  in  length ;  the  lady,  spreading  to 
full  width  the  tail,  found  it  ornamented  with  a 
border  which,  in  the  arrangement  and  brilliancy 
of  its  colors,  was  like  a  miniature  rainbow ;  but 
Leathershine  examined  the  shot  which  had  en- 
tered one  side  and  passed  out  on  the  other. 

RoUingbumb,  who  lived  but  a  mile  farther 
down  the  Watauga,  now  equipped  himself  to 
continue  his  journey  homeward;  but,  before 
taking  leave,  he  said  pleasantly,  in  his  rude 
dialect,  "  Strangers,  what  mout  yer  names  be  ?'* 
Leathershine,  speaking  quickly  for  the  party, 
said  in  reply,  "  They  mout  be  Jones,  or  they 
mout  be  Smith,  or  they  mout  be  Vance."  E,oll- 
ingbumb,  being  a  man  of  native  intelligence, 
and  therefore  understanding  the  import  of  the 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN,  21 

sarcasm,  turned  his  hawk  eyes  upon  the  critic 
and  said,  in  a  firm  voice,  **I*m  an  unlearnt 
man ;  but  if  you  fool  with  me,  sir,  111  knock 
you  as  flat  as  a  pancake." 

Mr.  Skiles,  being  mortified  at  the  conduct  of 
his  student,  took  the  hunter  by  the  hand  and 
expressed  regrets,  both  for  himself  and  Miss 
Meaks,  that  he  had  been  thus  insulted,  while 
Leathershine  sat  upon  a  stump  and  looked  "  like 
the  boy  the  calf  ran  over." 

A  few  moments  later,  supper  being-announced, 
Mr.  Toddy  sat  at  the  head  of  the  table  and  his 
wife  at  the  opposite  extremity  of  the  small  but 
hospitable  board,  with  her  back  towards  the 
fireplace,  which  was  in  the  east  end  of  the 
cabin.  The  two  more  distinguished  guests  occu- 
pied the  side  next  the  open  door,  while  Leather- 
shine,  seated  in  front  of  them,  cast  "  a  lean  and 
hungry  look"  on  the  bear  meat  before  him. 

After  a  blessing  had  been  asked,  the  host  said, 
"  Help  yourselves ;"  and  the  hostess,  in  her  course 
of  apologies  for  the  plain  repast  and  the  rude 
table  furniture,  said,  "Poor  folks  have  poor 
ways."  The  minister  assured  them  that  they 
should  ever  be  thankful  to  the  Master  for  such 
as  their  table  afforded ;  and,  indeed,  he  was  right, 
for,  in  addition  to  the  flesh  of  Bruin,  it  contained 
corn-bread,  milk,  butter,  Irish  potatoes,  green 


22  TEE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

corn,  and  that  choice  variety  of  honey  gathered 
from  the  linden  tree. 

While  the  evening  meal  was  being  enjoyed 
with  a  hearty  relish,  the  children,  three  in 
number, — George,  ten  years  old,  with  his  younger 
brother  and  sister, — waited  by  the  fire,  and  sang  in 
perfect  harmony  the  beautiful  lines  below,  which 
their  mother  had  often  sung  to  them  as  a  lullaby. 
From  the  best  information  we  can  gather,  these 
ancient  stanzas  were  composed  in  "  Merry  Eng- 
land," and  transmitted,  through  successive  gen- 
erations, from  British  soldiers  who  were  captured 
during  the  war  for  independence,  and  settled  in 
the  new  republic  after  the  terms  of  peace  were 
concluded. 

A  sitting  one  cold  winter's  nigbt, 

A  drinking  of  sweet  wine, 
A  courting  of  that  pretty  little  Miss 

That  stole  that  heart  of  mine. 

She  is  like  some  pink  or  rose 

That  blooms  in  the  month  of  June, 

Or  like  some  musical  instrument 
That  is  newly  put  in  tune. 

Oh,  fare  you  well,  my  dearest  dear, 

Oh,  fare  you  well  for  a  while ; 
I  go  away,  but  I'll  come  back  again, 

If  I  go  ten  thousand  miles. 


THE   GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  23 

Oh,  who  will  shoe  my  feet,  my  dear, 

And  who  will  glove  my  hands  ? 
Or  who  will  kiss  my  ruby  lips, 

When  you're  in  foreign  lands  ? 

Your  brother  will  shoe  your  feet,  my  dear, 
Your  mother  will  glove  your  hands ; 

And  I  will  kiss  your  ruby  lips 
When  I  return  again. 

Oh,  don't  you  see  that  turtle-dove 

A  flying  from  vine  to  vine  ? 
A  mourning  the  loss  of  its  own  true  love, 

As  I  shall  mourn  for  mine. 

In  due  time  Mrs.  Toddy  replenished  the  dishes 
with  warm  food,  and,  before  reoccupying  her  seat 
at  the  table,  she  set  the  ovens  away  from  the 
fire,  shovelled  up  the  dead  coals  with  which  the 
supper  had  been  cooked  and  threw  them  behind 
the  back  log,  just  prior  to  sweeping  the  hearth. 

Subsequently  the  guests,  together  with  the 
family,  formed  a  social  circle  around  the  blazing 
logs,  which  were  not  uncomfortable,  and  yet  not 
needed,  except  to  light  the  conversation,  in  a 
domicile  where  lamps  were  not  a  part  of  the 
furniture. 

Some  inquiries,  made  by  the  strangers,  about 
the  fauna  of  the  country  led  the  host  to  relate 
rare  hunting  tales  of  his  own  experience,  of 
which  we  will  give  only  one,  as  follows :  He 


24  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

said  that  several  years  previous  to  that  time, 
while  spending  a  night  in  the  woods  of  the 
Grandfather,  he  used  a  venison  ham  for  a  pillow, 
first  placing  some  dry  leaves  between  it  and  his 
head  to  protect  his  cheek  from  the  raw  flesh. 
When  the  gloom  of  midnight  had  mantled  his 
couch  of  moss  in  darkness  and  Somnus  scarcely 
lifted  his  chest  with  breathing,  he  was  ousted 
by  sharp  claws  passing  over  his  bald  scalp.  As  he 
sprang  to  his  feet  and  grabbed  his  gun,  a  panther, 
that  had  now  stolen  his  pillow,  screamed  forth 
the  signal  of  a  victorious  departure. 

It  was  now  time  to  retire,  and  the  house  con- 
tained but  three  beds,  all  of  which  were  in  one 
room,  the  only  room,  and  generally  occupied  by 
the  family.  But  in  those  days  the  ladies  con- 
structed temporary  bed-chambers  by  taking  two 
large  curtains,  each  about  the  size  of  a  counter- 
pane, and  either  hanging  them  from  the  joists 
or  supporting  them  on  frames,  one  along  the 
side  of  the  bed,  and  the  other  at  right  angles  to 
it  across  the  foot.  These  were  generally  made 
of  large-flowered  calico,  and  decorated  with  such 
ruffles  and  laces  as  the  wealth  and  skill  of  the 
times  could  employ. 

Such  luxuriant  sleeping  fixtures,  however, 
could  be  afforded  only  by  the  "bon-tons"  of 
log-house  society,  who  were  sometimes  classed 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  25 

by  their  jealous  inferiors  among  the  "big- 
bugs." 

Mrs.  Toddy  was  not  a  "bon-ton,"  but  sbe 
rendered  one  bed  private,  nevertheless,  by  hang- 
ing up  two  quilts  in  the  manner  that  curtains 
were  hung  by  those  who  could  afford  them. 

This  sleeping  apartment,  in  the  northwest 
corner  of  the  cabin,  was  occupied  by  four  per- 
sons,— Miss  Meaks  and  her  hostess  at  the  head, 
and  the  two  younger  children,  with  their  feet  in 
the  opposite  direction,  at  the  foot.  This  eco- 
nomical mode  of  sleeping,  by  which  the  taper- 
ing ends  of  human  anatomy  are  fitted  together 
like  the  teeth  of  a  shark,  is  still  practised  in 
some  remote  neighborhoods  around  Grandfather 
Mountain.  • 

Another  bed,  opposite  the  first,  though  not  so 
close  in  the  corner,  was  on  a  poorly  tenoned  'stead, 
which  sent  its  old-fashioned  turned  posts  up  to 
an  extraordinary  height,  and,  being  loose  in  its 
mortise  joints,  had  twice  wrecked  with  its  occu- 
pants and  fallen  side  wise  onto  the  floor.  For 
this  reason  a  low  bed,  that  was  trundled  endways 
from  beneath  the  one  that  was  concealed  by  the 
curtains,  was  prepared  for  Mr.  Skiles  and  his 
student.  But  when  the  minister  was  apprized 
of  the  arrangement,  he  evaded  the  young  man 
by  inviting  Mr.  Toddy  to  share  his  bed,  saying 

B  3 


26  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

that  he  wanted  to  tell  his  friends  that  he  had 
slept  with  a  hunter  whose  midnight  pillow  had 
been  stolen  by  a  panther. 

This  kind  and  complimentary  invitation  being 
accepted,  the  original  sleeping  plan  was  disor- 
ganized, and  Leathershine  slept  on  the  perilous 
bedstead  with  little  George  Toddy. 

An  hour  later,  when  a  stray  splinter  about  the 
smouldering  fire  caught  ablaze  and  cast  a  glim- 
.mering  light  upon  the  log  joists  above,  the  sleep- 
less dame  was  soliloquizing  about  the  hazardous 
bed.  ''  If  Mr.  Toddy  had  slept  with  George," 
thought  she,  "he  would  have  turned  himself 
cautiously  on  the  mattress,  and  thus  saved  the 
'stead  from  falling ;  but  now  it  would  be  most 
sure  to  tumble  with  the  young  man,  in  which 
event  he  would  think  that  the  cabin  had  been 
overturned  by  an  earthquake,  while  iier  own 
chum  and  the  bed-fellow  of  her  husband  would 
leap  from  their  slumber  in  fright." 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  27 


CHAPTER  11. 

HOSPITALITY. 

The  skies  with  luminaries  shine, 

Yet  seven  thunders  roar; 
Fatality  her  works  design, 

Through  cycles  evermore. 

When  George  Toddy  awoke  in  the  morning, 
the  sweet-scented  breakfast  was  cooking  in  the 
ovens  over  the  glowing  coals  on  the  hearth,  and 
the  great  wood  fire  was  sweetly  roaring  to  the 
strong  suction  of  the  flue  above. 

The  little  birds  carolling  from  the  trees  had 
invited  the  minister  from  the  couch  of  his  morn- 
ing dreams;  and  he  had  gone  from  the  house 
to  view  the  safii'on  streamers  from  the  rising 
sun,  or  to  see  the  speckled  beauties  through  the 
crystal  waters  of  the  Watauga,  or  to  give  the 
lady  of  the  cottage  room  and  ease  of  mind. 

The  young  lady,  who  was  now  dressing  behind 
the  curtain  quilts,  soon  emerged  and  washed  in 
the  wooden  basin  on  the  block  outside  the  door, 
wiped  on  the  flaxen  towel  by  the  inside  of  the 
threshold,  smoothed  her  hair  with  the  horn 
comb,  and,  careful  to  ask  for  nothing  that  the 


28  TEE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

cabin  might  not  afford,  she  only  inquired  where 
she  would  be  least  in  the  way,  and  then  took  a 
seat  in  the  corner. 

It  was  now  past  George's  time  to  be  up,  but 
he  had  been  dreadino;  to  crawl  over  his  new  and 
sleepy  partner  who  was  in  front.  The  head  of 
the  bed  which  they  occupied  was  towards  the 
fire,  and  the  door  opened  back  against  it.  Be- 
tween the  foot-board  and  the  wall  beyond  was  a 
space  of  about  three  feet,  which  gave  room  for 
a  tub  that  sat  in  the  corner. 

At  length  Leathershine  awoke  and,  rubbing 
his  hollow  eyes,  gave  a  sleepy  groan.  On  his 
elbow  he  raised  himself  and  looked  wonderingly 
at  Miss  Meaks,  who  kept  her  eyes  steadily  on 
the  cooking.  He  now  put  on  his  "  studying- 
cap"  to  solve  the  mystery  of  secret  dressing 
under  the  one-room  government,  and  the  aper- 
ture behind  the  foot-board  was  selected  as  a 
place  where  that  task  might  be  successfully  per- 
formed, provided  he  could  land  himself  safely 
into  it.  So,  leaving  one  cover  on  George,  he 
rolled  the  rest  up  lengthwise  on  the  front  railing, 
leaving  between  a  kind  of  trough,  in  which  he 
lay  full  length  on  his  back.  Pressing  his  heels 
firmly  against  the  straw  mattress,  and  lifting  his 
body  with  his  hands,  he  drew  himself  forward, 
his  knees  going  upward  like  a  measuring-worm 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  29 

passing  over  a  pair  of  trousers.  One  more 
measure  and  his  long  legs  dangled  across  and 
beyond  the  foot-board. 

While  in  this  attitude,  George  discovered  in 
the  lower  part  of  the  under-garment  that  clothed 
the  upper  half  of  his  person  a  large  round  hole, 
that  seemed  to  have  been  made  by  an  accidental 
fire  in  the  laundry. 

Leathershine  was  now  in  a  position  to  pass 
safely  over  into  the  place  by  the  tub  where  he 
could  dress  in  seclusion ;  but  when,  in  the  zenith 
of  his  leap,  his  quick  motion,  exhilarated  by 
high  hopes  of  success,  threw  the  hole  over  the 
bed-post,  and  as  he  kicked  and  dangled  in  the 
air,  the  bed  wrecked,  and  all  went  thundering 
collaterally  down  to  the  floor. 

Miss  Meaks  and  Mrs.  Toddy,  thinking  that  a 
tree  had  fallen  on  the  house,  turned  quickly  and 
saw  Leathershine  sprawling  on  his  face  with  his 
palms  extended.  Mrs.  Toddy,  being  conversant 
with  log-cabin  etiquette,  ran  out  at  the  door,  and 
Miss  Meaks,  catching  on  to  the  style,  followed 
her  example. 

"  Halloo,  here !"  exclaimed  Leathershine,''  is 
that  the  kind  of  chinch  dens  you  sleep  on?" 
said  he,  referring  to  the  wreck. 

"  Help  me  set  up  the  bed,"  said  George,  and, 
after  he  had  repeated  the  appeal,  the  young  man 

3* 


< 


30  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

reluctantly  assisted  in  replacing  it  upon  its  legs. 
The  two  now  passed  out  of  the  door,  and  as  they 
went  towards  the  laughing  river  to  wash  in  that 
clear,  passing  medium  the  ladies  were  re-entering 
the  threshold  of  the  cabin ;  and  when  they  came 
near  the  hearth  they  discovered  that  the  shock, 
created  by  the  fall  of  the  bed,  had  thrown  from 
the  chinks  above  the  fire  a  number  of  articles, 
of  which  the  pegging-awl  was  in  the  skillet  of 
gravy,  the  hammer  in  the  pan  of  cabbage,  and 
the  old  man's  last,  being  the  mould  of  a  very 
large  foot,  had  broken  through  the  lid  into  the 
oven  of  bread.  Also,  a  lot  of  falling  shoe-pegs 
had  showered  so  thickly  into  the  gravy  and  the 
cabbage  that  it  was  impossible  to  determine 
which  one  of  those  articles  of  food  contained 
the  greatest  number  of  the  wooden  fastenings. 

When  the  breakfast-table  was  ready  to  be  oc- 
cupied, the  coffee-pot,  which  alone  had  escaped, 
the  wreck  unharmed,  sat  on  the  floor  beside  Mrs. 
Toddy,  who  reached  down  and  took  it  by  the 
handle  whenever  the  cups  were  to  be  refilled. 
At  the  close  of  the  repast,  each  person  had  left 
on  his  plate  a  nice  little  pile  of  pegs  which  he 
had  picked  from  his  teeth  while  masticating  fried 
cabbage  or  bread  overspread  with  gravy. 

The  host  now  took  his  firelock  rifle  from  the 
rack,  picked  his  flint,  poured  fresh  powder  in  the 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNT AIK  31 

pan,  and  then,  placing  the  long  hunting-piece 
upon  his  shoulder,  started  to  guide  his  guests  on 
the  grand  climb.  While  the  flowers  were  yet 
cool  with  the  dews  of  night  and  the  long  shad- 
ows of  the  morning  were  falling  towards  the  west, 
the  horses  were  being  tied  to  the  trees  at  the 
place  where  Grandfather  Hotel  now  stands  near 
Linville  Gap. 

Here  their  way  was  to  the  left  by  a  rising  foot- 
path, which  was  overlmng  with  drooping  violets 
and  shaded  with  spreading  boughs  from  ever- 
green and  deciduous  trees.  Three  beauteous 
miles  through  umbrageous  leaves  and  fragrant 
wilds  would  take  them  to  where  morn  casts  her 
first  queenly  robe  upon  the  mountain-top  and 
Sol  withdraws  the  last  rosy  curtain  from  the 
frowning  rocks  to  his  ocean  bed. 

When  they  had  overcome  two-thirds  of  the 
precipitous  clamber,  they  came  to  a  little  bench- 
like spot  of  earth  which  was  clothed  with  ferns, 
mosses,  mitchella,  and  oxyria,  and  supj)orting  a 
mixed  growth  of  black  spruce  {Abies  nigra)  and 
balsam  [Abies  Fraseri),  whose  matted  branches 
form  a  beautiful  green  canopy. 

Looking  east  from  this  point,  the  old  man  of 
the  mountains  presents  a  bold  and  imposing  fig- 
ure, which  in  the  magnitude  and  perfection  of 
his  features  is  superior  to  the  Sphinx  of  the 


32  THE  BALSAM  OROVES   OF 

Nubian  Desert,  and  always  entrances  tlie  be- 
holder into  dreams  of  wonder  and  admiration. 
While  Miss  Meaks  was  admiring  this  mysterious 
profile,  Leathershine  offered  her  a  large  rhododen- 
dron bloom,  which  she  received  and  fastened  on 
her  bosom  with  a  pin.  The  young  man,  deeming 
that  she  wore  it  strictly  for  the  sake  of  the 
giver,  was  seized  with  a  sudden  emotion  which 
seemed  to  have  no  hope  of  reciprocation  from  a 
lady  who  was  so  far  his  superior  both  in  intel- 
lectual and  moral  development. 

The  party  now  continuing  their  journey  were 
soon  confronted  by  a  high,  steep  rock,  which 
seemed  to  cross  their  way  like  a  wall  through 
which  there  is  no  entrance.  At  its  base,  how- 
ever, the  track  turned  to  the  right,  and  passing 
round  by  ascending  curves  and  zigzags  continued 
its  course  towards  the  toj). 

About  midway  up  the  cliff  is  an  overhang  like 
a  cornice,  below  which  the  rock  is  perpendicular, 
but  above  this  it  retreats  with  the  pitch  of  a 
Gothic  roof.  At  the  top  of  the  upper  half, 
rhododendrons  annually  hang  out  their  scarlet 
florescent  garments  in  gay  profusion ;  but  from 
the  multiple  crevices  in  the  perpendicular  part 
below  grow  beautiful  grasses,  ferns,  and  wild 
flowers,  always  kept  green  and  moist  by  a  little 
water  escaping  from  above. 


THE    SPHYNX    OF    THE    GRANDFATHER    MOUNTAIN, 

NEAR    GRANDFATHER    HOTEL. 
(from  a  Photograph  by  Nat.  W.  Taylor,  Elk  Park,  N.  C.) 


Page  32. 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOVNTAIK.  33 

From  the  base  of  tliis  cliff  gushes  and  sparkles 
the  coldest  perennial  spring,  isolated  from  per- 
petual snow,  in  the  United  States.  Its  highest 
temperature  is  42°,  and  half  a  pint  from  its 
unpolluted  channel  quenches  the  greatest  thirst 
created  by  an  exhaustive  climb. 

Our  acquaintances  were  resting  at  this  foun- 
tain, and,  having  no  cup,  they  were  drinking  from 
a  concave  piece  of  bark  pealed  from  an  oval 
knot  on  a  tree,  when  they  saw  two  men  ap- 
proaching along  the  path  by  which  they  had 
ascended.  The  eyes  of  the  unknown  persons 
were  steadily  fixed  upon  the  ground,  for  between 
the  rocks  of  this  particular  place  are  numerous 
holes  and  crevices  so  dangerous  to  careless  feet 
that  every  step  requires  investigation. 

As  they  came  into  a  spot  of  sunshine  which 
fell  through  a  narrow  vista  in  the  trees,  the 
younger  and  better  dressed  of  the  two  turned  his 
eyes  upward  to  see  what  part  of  the  sky  was 
then  occupied  by  the  glorious  orb,  when  Miss 
Meaks  discovered  in  his  face  what  she  thought 
to  be  the  familiar  features  of  a  long-lost  friend. 
The  beautiful  rhododendron  bloom  that  em- 
bossed her  bosom  now  rose  and  fell  with  a  deep 
sigh  that  pushed  forward  the  elegantly  rounded 
prospect  behind  it ;  but  when  his  brow  returned 
to  the  shade  of  his  brim,  she  doubted  her  im- 


34  THE  BALSAM  GBOVES  OF 

pression,  and  said  in  silent  soliloquy  :  "  Impossi- 
ble that  he  who  knows  not  my  love  could  be 
here.  No  more  shall  my  heart  leap  and  my  lips 
tremble  to  the  deceitful  refraction  of  light  in 
woods  like  these.  The  warm  palm  I  once  re- 
fused will  never  return,  alas !  to  reclaim  me  from 
my  folly.  Farewell,  good-by,  my  Charlie;  I 
shall  never  see  you  again  until  I  drink  the  water 
of  Lethe,  and  return  from  the  Elysian  fields  not 
knowing  that  I  ever  did  you  wrong !" 

The  aj)proaching  couple  had  now  come  to  a 
curve  in  the  path  which  placed  between  them 
and  the  seated  party  the  lap  of  a  fallen  tree 
and  a  little  cluster  of  mountain  maple,  through 
whose  tangled  brush  only  glimpses  of  their 
movino;  forms  could  be  seen.  The  one  who  was 
guiding  the  other  now  said,  in  a  voice  distinctly 
audible  to  those  who  were  listening  near,  "  The 
spring  is  under  the  big  mossy  rock  before  us." 

"  Ah !"  rejoined  the  traveller,  "  when  we  get 
there,  I  will  drink  to  her  I  once  loved,  but  now 
only  remember ;  and  if  the  water  is  as  icy  cold 
as  you  say,  it  will  be  a  most  suitable  beverage 
for  the  occasion ;  for  then  I  will  say,  '  Here  is 
to  that  cold  heart  that  drove  me  wandering  from 
my  country ;  that  stole  the  sweet  sleep  from  my 
midnight  pillow  and  gave  me  for  it  insomnia; 
the  heart  that  charged  me  with  all  the  flattery 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN:  35 

belonging  to  the  untrue  of  my  sex ;  and  wliile 
this  portion  from  the  living  fount  of  Grand- 
father shall  quench  the  last  smouldering  spark 
of  love  for  her  that  lingers  in  my  bosom,  may 
some  messenger  of  the  gods  bear  her  the  news 
that  Charlie  was  true.' " 


36  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 


CHAPTEE  III. 

THE   LOVEES. 

The  rocks  that  brave  the  blasts  of  time 

Without  a  pulse  or  motion, 
Support  the  forms,  reflect  the  sounds, 

That  tell  the  heart's  commotion. 

The  words  that  close  tlie  previous  chapter 
were  understood  by  none  of  those  at  the  spring 
save  one,  and  she  had  changed  her  position  to 
conceal  some  gracious  drops  that  stole  down 
over  two  roses  that  had  thrice  flourished  and 
faded  in  a  few  brief  moments.  After  the 
stranger  had  expatiated  upon  the  destitution  of 
his  heart  as  set  forth  in  the  promised  health,  he 
hummed  a  love-tune,  advanced  rapidly,  and 
suddenly  emerged  from  behind  the  bramble  not 
more  than  a  rod  from  Miss  Meaks.  Here  he 
raised  his  eyes,  and  drew  back  with  shadows  of 
confidence  and  doubt  displacing  each  other  upon 
his  face  as  he  tried  to  determine  whether  the 
form  before  him  was  really  the  object  of  his 
love,  or  her  apparition.  Observing  on  her  part 
an  inclination  to  rise,  he  advanced  with  an  ex- 
tended hand,  and  expressed   his  pleasure  and 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  37 

surprise  in  a  manner  that  could  be  appreciated 
only  when  accompanied  by  his  noble  person  and 
voice. 

He  was  a  tall,  commanding  man,  with  a  grace- 
fully flowing  moustache,  aquiline  nose,  evenly 
set  teeth,  mobile  chin,  high  forehead,  and  the 
elongated  corners  of  his  dark-brown  eyes 
stretched  away  under  dark  brows  around  fair 
temples,  from  which  beautiful  black  hair  re- 
treated above  his  ears. 

The  words  that  Miss  Meaks  uttered  in  return 
for  his  were  only  of  that  social  cast  which  is 
characterized  by  the  meeting  of  friends,  but 
their  confiding  tone  and  feeling  delivery  in- 
spired new  confidence  in  his  "  heart's  attorney ,'' 
and  added  fresh  fuel  to  that  smouldering  spark 
which  no  draught  could  ever  have  extinguished. 

Introductions  now  went  round,  revealing  the 
fact  that  the  arrivals  were  Mr.  Charlie  Clipper- 
steel  and  his  guide,  Mr.  Wiseman,  the  latter 
being  from  the  foot  of  the  great  Koan,  some 
twenty  miles  to  the  west.  They  had  camped 
the  previous  night  about  two  miles  from  the 
source  of  the  Linville,  on  the  banks  of  that 
stream,  where  they  had  left  their  blankets  and 
a  light  tent. 

The  six  persons  now  united  at  the  spring 
were  within  the  border  of  one  of  the  most  beau- 

4 


38  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

tiful,  tlie  most  bewildering,  and  the  most  ex- 
tended evergreen  forests  in  the  whole  South. 
Here  the  tall  and  densely  growing  balsam  and 
S23ruce  extend  their  branches  in  united  clusters 
that  support  the  snows  of  winter  and  exclude 
the  rays  of  the  summer  sun.  Beneath  these  are 
many  ancient  trunks  of  fallen  trees  which  are 
completely  concealed,  and  only  revealed  by  a 
soft,  deep,  bright,  yellowish  green  moss  growing 
over  them  and  following  their  shapes.  Up 
through  this  rich  carpet,  from  their  roots  in  the 
decaying  wood,  grow  delicate  ferns  and  young 
balsams  of  a  fern's  height  and  higher  that  wave 
and  tremble  to  feeble  breezes  that  stray  off  from 
the  stronger  ones  that  moan  in  the  trees  above. 
This  robe  of  green  not  only  mantles  the  old  logs, 
but  spreads  its  soft  covering  unbroken  from  one 
object  to  another,  hugging  the  spreading  bases 
of  the  trees,  and  clothing  the  rising  rocks  and 
sticks  that  help  to  form  the  extending  landscape. 
This  lovely  scene  extends  up  and  over  the  moun- 
tain, broken  only  by  great  cliffs  equally  beauti- 
ful in  the  flowers  of  their  crags,  until  it  covers 
an  area  as  large  as  the  city  of  New  York. 
Such  were  the  exquisite  beauties  along  the  wind- 
ing step-way  by  which  our  acquaintances  were 
about  to  continue  their  ascent. 

Mr.  Skiles  and  the  two  country  gentlemen 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  39 

now  led  the  way,  bat  were  met  and  detained  by 
a  most  wonderful  man,  while  the  three  younger 
persons  still  lingered  at  the  spring,  where 
Leathershine  was  puffing  with  jealousy  and 
whiffling  around  like  a  "  fice  in  high  rye/'  The 
reunited  lovers  gave  him  no  recognition,  and, 
observing  that  his  "  cake  was  dough,"  he  joined 
the  minister  and  the  guides,  who  were  enter- 
tained some  distance  away  by  what  seemed  to 
be  a  resurrected  giant  of  prehistoric  ages. 

When  Clippersteel  observed  that  those  in 
front  were  about  to  advance,  he  said :  "  Miss 
Lidie,  I  offer  you  my  hand,  as  in  the  days  of 
yore,  to  help  you  up  the  rocks  and  steps  of  a 
path  which,  my  guide  informs  me,  leads  through 
flowery  beds  and  mossy  dales  like  these." 

"  I  accept  your  offer  with  thanks,  Mr.  Charlie ; 
but  you  are  not  ready  to  go :  you  have  not 
drunk  the  health  you  promised,"  she  said,  hand- 
ing him  the  concave  bark  with  a  smile. 

"  Pardon  me,  my  friend,"  said  he ;  "  it  cost  me 
four  years  in  a  foreign  land  to  travel  to  the  frigid 
zone  of  my  heart,  where  the  snows  tliat  ended 
the  summer  of  love  were  lighted  only  by  the 
flitting  meteors  of  the  borealis  race.  But  your 
unexpected  presence  here  to-day,  which  I  could 
not  avoid,  has  placed  that  icy  region  again  un- 
der the  burning  sun  of  the  tro|)ics.     Already  the 


40  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

snows  have  gone,  and  their  place  is  occupied  by 
the  water  lily,  perfumed  with  the  spices  and  the 
cloves  and  spreading  its  sweet  petals  upon  my 
bosom.  How  can  you  drive  such  love  as  mine 
from  its  mortal  habitation  and  leave  my  bosom 
empty  with  all  but  wondering  pain  ?  My  heart 
is  thirsty,  and  you  are  its  living  fountain.  Let 
me  drink  and  water  a  desert  that  will  soon  flour- 
ish with  the  green  bay-tree  and  the  balm  of 
Gilead." 

"  O  God,''  she  cried,  "  pardon  the  weakness  of 
woman,"  and  burying  her  face  in  his  bosom,  her 
lachrymal  lakes  overflowed  and  anointed  his  gar- 
ments with  drops  that  were  to  him  the  myrrh  of 
the  soul.  "  It  is  pursuit,"  she  said,  "  and  not 
possession,  that  man  enjoys,  and  now  therefore 
the  tender  regard  you  have  for  me  is  ready  to 
be  cremated  upon  the  pyre  of  my  broken  spirit, 
and  nothing  but  an  urn  of  ashes  left  to  its  mem- 
ory." 

"Never,"  replied  Charlie,  "never  until  God 
himself  is  buried,  and  the  dark  marble  of  ob- 
livion erected  for  his  tombstone,  shall  my  per- 
son or  my  angel  forsake  fair  Lidie  Meaks." 

When  Clippersteel  had  thus  vowed  his  eternal 
love  and  his  lady  had  confessed  her  devotion, 
their  friends  had  gone  far  out  of  sight  up  the 
mountain.      The   gorgon   who   had   lately  met 


TEE  ORANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN,  41 

them  and  excited  their  curiosity  was  a  native  by 
the   name  of   Skipper   John   Potter.     He  was 
exercising  the  occupation  of  gathering  balsam 
of  fir,  which,  being  a  much  valued  medicine,  I 
will  acquaint  the  reader  with  its  production,  as 
follows :     The  resin  of  the  balsam  tree   {Abies 
Fraseri)  is  carried  in  the  bark,  and,  when  this 
becomes  overcharged  with  the  aromatic  substance, 
it  deposits  its  surplus  just  beneath  the  surface  in 
small  protuberances  called  blisters,  because  they 
resemble  little  bladders  caused  by  fire  or  over- 
work upon  the  hands.     These  vary  in  size  from 
a  mere  pimple  to  a  bulk  as  large  as  a  com- 
mon  marble,  and   the   balsam  is  collected   by 
tapping  the  larger  ones  at  the  bottom  with  a 
knife,  and   bringing  a  pressure   to  bear   upon 
the  top,  while  the  thick  fluid  runs  slowly  from 
the   incision   and   goes   down  into   a  little   tin 
vessel,  whose  lip  is  firmly  pressed  against  the 
bark  below. 

All  over  Grandfather  is  a  scattered  growth  of 
black  spruce  {Abies  nigra)  which  the  natives 
call  tamarack.  It  is  so  much  like  the  more 
abundant  balsam  that  casual  observers  pass  them 
for  one  and  the  same ;  but  the  resin  of  the 
spruce  is  carried  partly  in  the  wood;  is  not 
medicinal,  and  does  not  blister  the  bark.  Also, 
the  needles  of  the  foliage  are  flat  and  of  a  yel- 

4* 


42  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

lowish-green  cast,  while  those  of  the  balsam  are 
round  and  emerald. 

Skipper  John  Potter  was  a  large  man,  six  feet 
and  a  half  tall,  and  his  feet,  which  were  always 
bare  in  summer,  were  huge  and  long  in  propor- 
tion. His  big  bony  toes  when  fairly  spread  by 
his  weight  were  connected  near  their  base  by  red 
membranes  like  those  of  a  web-footed  fowl.  The 
garments  of  his  person  consisted  of  white  home- 
woven  linen  pants  a  span  shorter  than  his  legs ; 
a  shirt  of  like  material,  with  a  broad  turn-down 
collar,  and  a  home-spun  jean  coat  of  a  very 
short  cut,  as  if  made  for  the  convenience  of 
wading  high  water  or  to  overtop  the  weeds  of 
the  forest.  A  retreating  chin,  a  head  flat  on  top 
and  sheltered  by  a  hat  plaited  of  rye  straw, 
characterized  his  upper  extremity.  His  long, 
straight  back  was  always  leaned  forward  from  a 
starting-point  at  his  hips.  He  had  evenly  set 
teeth ;  and  when  he  laughed,  his  mouth  spread  to 
his  ears;  while  two  good-humored  streaks,  one 
extending  from  each  corner  of  the  great  vocal 
orifice,  passed  round  and  met  on  the  back  of  his 
head.  When  he  talked,  it  seemed  that  the  thun- 
ders had  been  endowed  with  the  powers  of  speech. 
He  was  too  wise  for  a  fool  and  too  ignorant  to 
create  an  offence.  His  knowledge  was  so  limited 
that  the  lack  of  it  was  by  him  unmissed.     He 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  43 

often  misunderstood  the  meaning  of  words,  and 
when  he  attempted  to  reproduce  one  that  he  had 
heard  a  superior  use,  he  generally  missed  it  en- 
tirely and  got  one  of  similar  sound.  For  in- 
stance, when  he  heard  John  Smith  say  that  he 
was  going  to  have  his  land  transferred,  he  told 
Tom  Jones  that  John  Smith  was  going  to  have 
his  land  transmogrified. 

Those  whose  admiration  had  been  excited  by 
Skipper  John  had  prevailed  on  him  to  go  with 
them  on  the  journey ;  and  as  they  toiled  up  the 
mountain,  while  Clippersteel  and  Miss  Meaks 
were  yet  behind,  Mr.  Skiles  placed  his  hands 
upon  his  hips  and,  leaning  against  a  tree,  ex- 
claimed :  "  Oh,  my  spine !"  when  Skipper, 
embracing  the  opportunity  to  recommend  his 
medicine,  said  in  tones  of  thunder :  "  Ef  you'll 
take  a  dost  or  two  of  my  balsam,  you'll  have  no 
spine." 

The  happy  couple  behind  overtook  those  in 
front  at  a  cliff  called  Harmon's  Kock,  because  it 
gave  shelter  to  Maiden  Harmon,  a  res|)ectable 
citizen  of  Sugar  Grove,  when  on  his  annual  trips 
to  Grandfather  to  replenish  his  brain  with  in- 
spiration and  gather  balsam  for  family  physic 
through  the  ensuing  year.  From  this  point,  a 
five  minutes'  walk  took  them  to  the  top,  where 
the  radius  of  the  entrancing  panorama  is  led  on 


44  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

by  mountains,  and  hills,  and  vales,  and  streams, 
and  crags,  and  ravines,  until,  like  the  stars  that 
form  the  milky  way,  they  lose  their  identity 
and  blend  into  a  circle  of  ethereal  blue.  So  ex- 
tended was  the  view  on  that  beautiful  day  that 
the  heavens  lost  their  concave  form,  and  stretched 
away  over  blue  domes  and  fading  valleys  to  a 
horizon  in  the  dim  distance  of  the  inseparable 
land  and  sky.  The  beautiful  clouds,  the  ships 
of  the  ethereal  sea,  in  whose  electric  berths  the 
giant  thunders  were  sleeping,  now  sailed  only 
mountain  high  over  the  valleys,  presenting  a 
side  view  to  the  tourists ;  and,  as  they  caught  the 
rays  of  the  sun  in  their  rigging  or  allowed  his 
beams  to  pass  through  between  them  to  the 
beautiful  earth  below,  the  landscape  was  leop- 
ardized  for  miles  around  with  a  moving  robe  of 
light  and  shadow. 

While  the  party  was  admiring  the  exquisite 
beauties  of  the  scene,  Clippersteel  asked  the 
more  intelligent  of  his  hearers  if  they  had  ever 
heard  of  the  interesting  diary  kept  by  Andre 
Michaux  when,  in  the  eighteenth  century,  he 
journeyed  in  the  Highlands  of  North  Carolina. 
Both  Mr.  Skiles  and  Miss  Meaks,  and  even  our 
acquaintance,  Leathershine,  answered  that  they 
knew  nothing  either  of  that  journal  or  its  author. 

"  Andre  Michaux,"  said  Clippersteel,  "  was  sent 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  45 

to  this  country  in  1785  by  the  royal  government 
of  France  to  collect  seeds,  shrubs,  and  trees  for  the 
royal  gardens ;  and  at  that  time  seems  to  have 
had  an  earnest  loyalty.  But  after  the  French 
revolution  broke  out  he  evidently  became  a  very 
zealous  republican,  a  true  Frenchman,  as  will  ap- 
pear from  his  ardent  language  upon  the  spot  now 
occupied  by  ourselves ;  for  thus  reads  a  portion  of 
the  journal,"  said  he,  producing  a  memorandum 

'' '  1794.  August  26.— Started  for  Grandfathei 
Mountain,  the  most  elevated  of  all  those  which 
form  the  chain  of  the  Alleghanies  and  the  Ap- 
palachians. 

"  '  1794.  August  27.— Eeached  the  foot  of  the 
hio;hest  mountain. 

" '  1794.  August  28. — Climbed  as  far  as  the 
rocks. 

'' '  1794.  August  29. — Continued  my  herbori- 
zation. 

"  '  1794.  August  30. — Climbed  to  the  summit 
of  the  highest  mountain  of  all  North  America,  and 
with  my  companion  and  guide  sang  the  hymn 
of  the  Marseillaise,  and  cried,  *'  Long  live  America 
and  the  Eepublic  of  the  French!  Long  live 
Liberty!  etc."'"* 

"  But  was  he  not  mistaken  as  to  the  highest 
mountain  ?"  inquired  Mr.  Skiles,  profoundly. 

*  See  an  extract  from  the  journal,  beginning  on  p.  152. 


46  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

"  Indeed,  he  was  in  honest  error,  for  the  range 
of  the  E-ockies  was  not  known  to  him ;  and  in 
those  days,  when  the  unknown  heights  of  the 
North  Carolina  mountains  were  compared  by  the 
effect  of  their  environments  upon  the  aesthetic 
mind,  or  by  the  length  of  the  rivers  that  trickle 
from  their  feet,  Grandfather  was  conceded  to  be 
fair  Luna's  nearest  neighbor  and  friend.  In 
truth,  there  can  be  no  better  proof  of  its  surpass- 
ing beauty,  to-day,  than  the  fact  that  a  man  of 
Michaux's  taste  gave  vent  to  his  greatest  enthu- 
siasm upon  its  summit ;  for  he  had  travelled  in 
Persia ;  he  had  seen  the  Alps,  under  whose  frowns 
Caesar  battled  with  the  Gauls ;  he  had  journeyed 
from  the  White  Mountains  of  New  Hampshire 
to  the  Blacks  in  North  Carolina,  and  his  eyes 
had  been  cultured  to  the  flowers  of  the  king's 
garden.'' 

Just  at  this  instant  a  buffeting  breeze  lifted 
Skipper's  light  hat  from  his  crown  and  gave  him 
a  lively  southward  race  for  its  recovery;  and 
every  time  that  one  of  his  big  feet  went  forward, 
the  heel  of  the  other  flew  up  behind  and  hit  him 
on  the  hip,  while  his  great  hands  were  extended 
forward  in  pursuit  of  the  structure  of  cereal 
straw. 

Our  two  lovers,  Lidie  and  her  Charlie,  now 
descended  the  northern  slope  of  the  mountain  a 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  47 

short  distance  to  an  immense  cliff,  and  occupied 
one  of  the  four  or  five  natural  steps  that  round 
off  to  the  dangerous  brink.  This  perpendicular 
rock,  which  faces  the  west,  is  about  four  hun- 
dred feet  high,  and  in  its  crags  grow  ferns,  an 
wild  pinks,  and  on  its  brow  clusters  and  blooms 
the  little  evergreen  shrub,  Leiophyllum  buxi- 
folium. 

Here  Lidie  found  in  the  recent  resignation  of 
her  heart  visions  of  roses  blooming  about  the 
door  of  her  future  mansion,  with  humming-birds 
nestling  in  the  vines,  and  the  voice  of  him  she 
loved  falling  upon  her  ears  like  apples  of  gold 
in  the  acoustic  halls  of  peace.  And  how  changed 
seemed  the  fortunes  of  him  by  her  side,  who 
tut  an  hour  ago  was  whirling  in  the  storm  that 
had  blown  him  to  despair.  Yet  all  in  his  bosom 
was  not  peace.  Even  the  narrow  rulings  of 
destiny  gave  him  pain,  for,  had  he  not  been  de- 
layed by  the  rains  of  a  single  day,  he  would 
never  have  won  the  diadem  of  his  soul.  "  O 
great  Jehovah,"  thought  he,  "  can  my  happiness 
be  real,  or  am  I  dreaming?  If  I  am  in  the 
deceitful  arms  of  Morpheus,  may  I  never  awake 
to  sustain  the  regrets  of  my  fancy ;  or,  if  I  have 
fallen  from  some  high  cliff,  where,  bleeding  with 
unconscious  wounds,  my  dying  hour  is  sweetened 
with  these  visions,  may  that  hour  last,  and  the 


48  TEE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

red  current  flow  throughout  the  countless  ages  of 
eternity." 

His  muse  was  here  broken  by  a  gentle  female 
voice  that  said,  "  What  cold  wave  of  silence  is 
passing  over  your  brain  ?" 

"  I  was  tracing  the  wilds  through  which  I 
came,"  was  the  reply. 

These  words  were  the  prelude  to  a  low,  sweet, 
musical  conversation,  ornamented  with  smiles 
and  softened  by  the  tenderest  emotions  of  the 
human  heart. 

No  one  to  eavesdrop  was  near,  and  the  trem- 
bling ferns  could  never  blab  the  touching  story ; 
but  the  envying  Echo,  who  steals  the  pathos  from 
all  sweet  words  and  returns  only  the  hollow 
bones  of  speech,  deserves  our  notice. 

"  She  was  a  nymph,  but  only  now  a  sound, 
Yet  of  her  tono-ue  no  other  use  was  found 
Than  now  she  has,  which  never  could  be  more 
Than  to  repeat  what  she  had  heard  before. 

"  This  change  impatient  Juno's  anger  wrought, 
Who,  when  her  Jove  she  o'er  the  mountains  sought, 
Was  oft  by  Echo's  tedious  tales  misled. 
Till  the  shy  nymphs  to  caves  and  grottos  fled. 

"  Her  flesh  consumes  and  moulders  with  despair, 
And  all  her  body's  juice  is  turned  to  air ; 
So  wondrous  are  the  effects  of  restless  pain. 
That  nothing  but  her  voice  and  bones  remain. 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN,  49 

"Nay,  even  the  very  bones  at  last  are  gone, 
And  metamorphosed  to  a  thoughtless  stone ; 
Yet  still  the  voice  does  in  the  woods  survive; 
The  form's  departed,  but  the  sound's  alive." 

Those  conversant  with  mythology  will  re- 
member that  "  Echo  by  chance  met  Narcissus  in 
the  woods,  and  so  admired  his  beauty  that  she 
fell  in  love  with  him,  courted  and  embraced 
him  ;  but  he  broke  away  from  her  arms  and  fled. 
Narcissus  afterwards  fell  so  deeply  in  love  with 
his  own  beauty  that  the  love  of  himself  proved 
his  ruin.  His  thirst  led  him  to  a  fountain, 
whose  waters  were  clear  and  bright  as  silver ; 
and  when  he  stooped  to  drink  he  saw  his  own 
image,  and  gazed  at  it,  insomuch  that  he  fell 
passionately  in  love  with  it.  He  continued  a 
long  time  admiring  this  beloved  picture-;  but  at 
length  the  unhappy  creature  perceived  that  the 
torture  he  suffered  was  from  the  love  of  his  own 
self. 

"  'My  love  does  vainly  on  myself  return, 
And  fans  the  cruel  flame  with  which  I  burn  ; 
The  thing  desir'd  I  still  about  me  bore, 
And  too  much  plenty  has  confirm'd  me  poor. 
Oh,  that  I  from  my  much-lov'd  self  could  go; 
A  strange  request,  yet  would  to  God  'twere  so.' 

"In  a  word,  the  power  of  love  was  greater 
than   he   could   resist,   so   that   by   degrees   he 

c        d  5 


50  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

wasted  away  and  consumed,  and  at  last,  by  the 
favor  of  the  gods,  was  turned  into  a  daffodil,  a 
flower  called  by  his  own  name." 

The  hapless  ghost  of  Echo  now  lurked  in  the 
solid  face  of  a  cliff  that  was  neighbor  to  the  one 
occupied  by  our  lovers,  and,  envying  them  be- 
cause she  were  not  Lidie  and  Charlie  her  long 
lost  Narcissus,  she  mimicked  their  conversation 
as  follows : 

'*  Down  in  yonder  lonesome  woods  is  a  flowery 
bed  of  green,  where  I  am  soon  to  be  tried  by  the 
ordeal  of  forbearance.  Already  on  that  sacred 
spot  nature's  tear-drops  are  falling  thick  and 
fast ;  for,  in  presence  of  those  on  yonder  height, 
how  can  I  give  thee  the  cold  *  good-by'  that  they 
will  expect,  or  the  w^arm  *  adieu'  they  would  not 
understand  ?  Oh,  gracious  Pan,  thou  god  of  the 
beautiful  woods,  conceal  thy  uncomely  form  by 
the  spring  on  our  return ;  blow  the  sweet  melody 
of  thy  cithern  through  the  trees  and  entertain 
our  companions  till  we  pass  on  to  that  solemn 
shade.  There,  under  the  sighing  pines  on  a 
mossy  carpet  kneeling,  I  will  lay  the  blue- veined 
violets  of  confidence  on  the  roses  of  my  true- 
love's  promise,  and,  binding  them  with  the  ten- 
drils of  the  woodbine,  will  leave  her  to  join 
her  friends  in  that  lonely  dell  and  my  guide 
to  overtake  me  by  the  brook  of  Klonteska." 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN,  51 

"  Not  SO,  Charlie ;  if  you  depart  so  soon  from 
the  paths  I  travel,  your  vows  and  your  actions 
will  not  seem  to  flow  in  the  same  gentle  stream." 

"  Pardon  me,  my  dear  Lidie ;  my  words  to  you 
have  always  been  tuned  to  the  emotions  of  my 
heart,  and  there  is  no  discord  in  the  sweet  chime 
of  faith  and  feeling  which  I  now  enjoy.  Fain 
would  I  have  withheld  my  j)i'omise  to  meet  a 
comrade  traveller  on  the  great  Koan  to-mor- 
row, could  I  have  foretold  the  events  of  to-day. 
But  the  cause  of  my  delay,  sent  in  a  note  by  my 
guide,  will  obtain  his  pardon,  for,  on  the  night 
before  we  clambered  together  the  eternal  snows 
of  Mont  Blanc,  I  dropped  into  the  ventricles  of 
his  sympathizing  heart  the  secret  of  my  wan- 
derings. When  we  beheld  the  wild  flowers 
growing  so  near  the  glacier  {iner  de  glace)  that 
they  leaned  their  almost  frozen  corollas  against 
the  accumulated  ice  and  snow  of  ages,  I  said, 
^  These  delicate  blossoms  are  sickly  from  the  low 
temperature  which  the  glacier  imparts  ;  and  as 
they  woo  in  vain  this  congealed  mass  to  melt  and 
warm  them  into  a  brighter  existence,  even  so  did 
I  implore  the  angel  of  my  joys  to  enter  the  gate- 
ajar  of  my  heart  and  give  me  a  life  of  bliss  by 
her  side.'  Only  yesterday  he  knew  that  the 
sweet  home  of  love  once  in  my  bosom,  where  all 
the  happy  dreams  of  life  had  been  cherished, 


52  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

was  but  an  empty  urn,  from  whose  future  every 
hope  of  joy  on  earth  had  vanished." 

*^  Oh,  speak  not  thus,  Charlie ;  disturb  not  the 
clear,  sweetly  flowing  river  of  the  present  by 
turning  in  a  troubled  current  from  the  stream 
of  memory." 

Here  the  conversation  was  broken  by  the  re- 
mainder of  the  party  arriving  from  the  top,  and 
as  Mr.  Skiles  neared  the  awe-inspiring  brink  he 
drew  back  and  exclaimed,  *'  Oh,  what  a  danger- 
ous abyss  !"  Whereupon  Skipper  John  informed 
them  "  that  Rollingbumb  once  killed  a  bear  on 
top  of  that  '  abscess,'  and,  tumbling  him  over  the 
brink,  all  of  his  bones  were  broken  by  the  fall." 

All  were  soon  seated  upon  the  rock,  where  they 
looked  well  to  the  west,  and,  while  talking  of  the 
many  attractive  objects  in  that  direction,  they 
determined  that,  as  Mr.  Skiles  was  out  on  a 
week's  vacation,  they  would  continue  their  jour- 
ney to  Linville  Falls,  which  are  from  Linville 
Gap  about  eighteen  miles. 

From  the  base  of  the  great  ]3recipice  which  they 
occupied  the  mountain  continues  its  descent  by 
steep  declivities,  and  so  precipitous  are  they  that 
a  person  might  stand  at  many  points  and  grasp 
the  topmost  branches  of  trees  that  have  their 
roots  in  crags  far  below.  A  bewildering  mile 
this  rugged  green  extends,  and  then  scatters  and 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  53 

terminates  in  tlie  deciduous  trees  of  a  fertile 
slope  that  leads  down  to  tlie  Linville  Valley.  Here 
the  landscape  is  dotted  with  the  conical  tops 
of  giant  hemlocks  [Abies  Canadensis)  towering 
above  and  spreading  beneath,  so  as  to  partly 
obstruct  the  view  of  the  intervening  birch  and 
completely  obscure  the  undergrowing  rhododen- 
dron. 

Through  this  tangled  mass  lay  the  first  j&ve 
miles  of  the  narrow  road  soon  to  be  travelled  by 
the  party  on  their  way  to  the  beautiful  cataract. 

Retracing  their  steps  to  the  top,  Chppersteel 
gave  his  guide  a  liberal  sum  to  start,  without 
further  delay,  to  the  Roan  with  an  appropriate 
note  to  his  friend. 

They  now  turned  upon  their  heels  and  took  a 
last  glance  at  the  dim  and  distant  outline  that 
once  bounded  the  vision  of  Michaux,  who  had 
long  since  passed  to  silence  and  pathetic  dust  in 
far-off  Madagascar. 

To  the  southwest  of  Grandfather,  the  great 
Blacks — the  highest  American  mountains  east  of 
the  Mississippi — present  themselves  in  a  line  of 
blue  domes  at  right  angles  to  the  vision,  and  often 
support  the  clouds  that  empty  their  liquid  burdens 
or  gather  new  lading  upon  their  lofty  crests. 
The  renowned  Mitchell's  Peak  is  the  highest  of 
this  group,  and  on  its  summit  the  Rev.  Elisha 

6* 


54  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

Mitchell,  D.D.,  is  buried ;  and  whether  the  virgin 
snows  mantle  his  grave  with  their  trackless 
iin  defiles,  or  seolian  breezes  whisper  between  it 
and  smiling  moons,  or  the  serene  sunshine  steals 
the  noontide  zephyr  from  the  umbrageous  firs, 
or  the  great  storm  king  anchors  his  sable  ship 
of  gloom  upon  it,  and  turns  loose  the  guns  of 
thunder  from  its  fiery  portals,  he  sleeps  the  same 
under  the  sod  of  eternal  fame.* 

From  the  top  of  Grandfather  almost  the 
entire  northwest  is  crossed  by  the  long  line  of 
the  Clinch  Range,  through  whose  depressions,  in 
beautiful  autumn  weather,  glimpses  can  be  seen 
of  the  more  distant  mountains  in  Kentucky  and 
West  Virginia. 

To  the  northeast  is  White  Top,  on  which 
three  States  —  North  Carolina,  Virginia,  and 
Tennessee — corner  and  join.  It  is  a  massive 
oval  mountain,  showing  the  side  view  of  an 
oblong  bald,  with  a  background  of  evergreen  on 
land  slightly  more  elevated  than  that  denuded 
of  trees. 

The  most  distant  mountain  seen  in  the  east  is 
the  dim  Pilate  in  Stokes  County,  North  Carolina. 
It  culminates  in  a  hazy  tower  of  stone,  which  in 


*  Beginning  on  page  176  is  a  full  account  of  his  death, 
written  by  Hon.  Z.  B.  Yance. 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  55 

shape  and  proportion,  as  presented  by  the  visual 
angle,  is  like  a  large  gravestone  set  in  the  top 
of  an  Indian  mound  or  a  knoll. 

Midst  the  cotton-fields  of  South  Carolina  rises 
to  view  the  immortal  King's  Mountain,  on  whose 
summit,  October  7,  1780,  the  gallant  Ameri- 
cans, under  Colonels  Campbell  and  Sevier,  killed 
and  captured  the  entire  British  command  under 
Ferguson. 

Near  the  south  end  of  the  Blacks,  the  beholder 
observes  the  bald  of  Hickory-Nut  Gap,  three 
miles  beyond  which  is  Bound  Knob  Hotel, 
where  the  already  beautiful  scenery  is  greatly 
enhanced  by  the  most  intricate  railroad  contriv- 
ance in  the  South. 

The  reader  will  understand  that  I  have  men- 
tioned only  a  few  of 

A  thousand  mountains  and  a  million  hills, 
With  intervening  rivers  and  rills, 
And  tints  that  blue  and  clouds  that  fly, 
Within  the  scope  o'  the  natural  eye. 

Our  acquaintances,  having  completed  the  pan- 
orama a  second  time,  now  turned  their  backs 
upon  the  summit  with  such  parting  compliments 
as  "Good-by,  Grandfather !"  "Farewell,  ye  sweet 
groves !  I  will  love  you  when  I  am  far  away." 
Arriving  at  the  spring,  the  concave  bark,  full 


56  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

to  the  brim,  was  circulated  with  free  polite- 
ness ;  aud  Clippersteel,  being  the  last  to  drink, 
raised  it  to  his  lips  and  said,  ^'  Here  is  to  De 
Leon,  who  searched  for  this  *  fountain  of  youth,' 
which  he  never  found;  may  his  soul  be  at 
peace  and  the  sympathies  of  all  mankind  with 
his  memory." 

They  soon  descended  to  Linville  Gap,  and, 
after  an  appropriate  parting  with  the  guide  from 
the  Watauga,  Mr.  Skiles  said  to  Mr.  CUpper- 
steel,  *'  Get  on  my  horse ;  we  will  ride  and 
walk  alternately,  and  neither  of  us-  will  be  tired 
at  night."  The  person  thus  addressed  declined 
at  first  to  set  the  devout  man  on  foot,  but  be- 
ing assured  by  him  that  he  would  not  be  dis- 
comfited by  the  change,  the  offer  was  accepted. 
Mr.  Skiles,  however,  was  prevailed  on  to  ride 
first,  and  Leathershine  having  hastened  to 
mount  Miss  Meaks,  as  if  he  owned  that  right 
by  previous  attendance,  all  went  down  the  merry 
Linville. 

Miss  Meaks  ventured  to  ride  by  Mr.  Skiles, 
but  Leathershine  was  so  goaded  with  jeal- 
ousy, and  so  anxious  to  get  the  advantage  of 
his  formidable  rival,  that  every  time  the  nar- 
rowness of  the  road  crowded  them  into  sinde 
file,  he  pressed  his  horse  in  by  hers  and  ten- 
dered his  undying  love.     In  vain  did  she  use 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  57 

silent  contempt,  in  vain  she  changed  the  conver- 
sation. 

''  Please,  Mr.  Clippersteel,"  said  she,  "  lead 
my  horse  over  this  difficult  road."  Delighted 
at  the  opportunity  to  be  of  service,  he  took  the 
rein,  when  Leathershine,  being  close  by  the 
lady's  side,  placed  his  open  hand  beside  his 
mouth,  as  if  to  turn  the  full  force  of  his  breath 
upon  the  object  of  his  love,  and  leaning  quite 
over  whispered  in  her  ear. 

"  Get  up  and  ride,  Mr.  Clippersteel,"  said  the 
minister,  alighting  from  his  steed. 

Charlie  first  conducted  Miss  Meaks's  horse  a 
little  to  the  front,  Leathershine  being  immedi- 
ately on  the  opposite  side,  and  then,  stepping 
back  to  Mr.  Skiles's  steed,  })laced  his  foot  in  the 
stirrup. 

Leathershine,  seeing  that  he  was  about  to  be 
superseded  by  one  who  seemed  to  be  in  more 
popular  favor,  took  Miss  Meaks's  horse  by  the 
rein,  and  giving  his  ankle  a  twist  spurred  him 
in  the  side,  at  the  same  time  hurrying  his  own, 
and  the  two  went  in  a  sweeping  gallop  around  a 
curve  of  the  road. 

"  Thar,"  roared  Skipper,  "  he's  got  yer  gal  an' 
gone  with  'ur." 

As  Clippersteel  lit  in  the  saddle,  he  heard  his 
intended  say,  "  Let  loose  my  rein.    What  do  you 


68  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

mean?"  and  being  impelled  by  a  sudden  feeling 
of  rescue  and  revenge,  he  gave  the  horse  a  thud 
with  his  spurless  heel,  and  went  thundering  down 
the  road  like  a  tornado,  leaving  the  minister  and 
Skipper  in  the  desolated  country  behind. 


4 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  59 


CHAPTER    IV. 


TRAPPING    A    BEAR. 


In  verse  I'll  not  disclose  what  did  betide, — 

The  scene's  too  varied,  wild,  and  warm,  and  wide. 

From  the  dome  of  Grandfather,  a  high  arm 
leads  off,  south  of  west  and  parallel  with  the 
Linville,  for  the  distance  of  two  miles,  and  then 
drops  abruptly  down  into  a  deep  pass  called 
Grandmother  Gap,  beyond  which  rises  Grand- 
mother Mountain,  the  queen-consort  of  the 
reigning  Grandfather. 

Along  the  centre  of  this  elegant  spur  is  a  suc- 
cession of  three  beautiful  cones,  which  are  only 
a  few  feet  lower  than  the  highest  point  and  rear 
their  gray  crests  through  dark  mantles  of  rho- 
dodendron and  firs. 

In  the  year  1890,  a  Baltimore  bard,  who  signs 
his  name  "  Chuckey  Joe,"  named  one  of  these 
peaks — the  one  nearest  the  main  top — "  Yonah- 
lossee,"  which,  in  the  language  of  the  Cherokee 
Indians,  means  "  Passing  bear."  This  name  was 
suggested  by  the  fact  that  bruin's  favorite  trail 


60  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

crosses  the  great  mountain,  througli  the  depres- 
sion, between  this  height  and  the  next  one  to- 
wards the  southwest. 

In  the  fall  of  the  year,  when  Rollingbumb  did 
much  trapping  for  bear  in  this  pass,  he  made  his 
head-quarters  down  in  the  deciduous  woods,  on 
the  northern  slope  of  the  mountain,  in  a  rock 
cavern  which  had  been  formed  by  a  large  slab 
of  stone  sliding  down  over  a  cliff  and  leaning 
up  against  it,  leaving  beneath  a  long  chamber 
with  a  triangular  opening  at  each  extremity. 
When  this  was  occupied  by  the  hunter,  he  closed 
the  three-cornered  thresholds  by  building  a  blaz- 
ing fire  in  one  and  suspending  the  skins  of 
wild  beasts  in  the  other. 

The  rock  that  formed  the  shelter,  and  also  the 
cliff  that  extended  from  either  end  of  the  cavern, 
were  grown  over  with  mosses  and  lichens,  while 
clinging  here  and  there  in  the  crevices  were 
beautiful  ferns,  orchids,  and  wild  pinks. 

Only  a  few  rods  away,  the  east  end  of  the 
cliff  led  down  to  a  hollow,  in  which  great 
bowlders,  that  had  come  down  from  higher  alti- 
tudes, were  piled  one  upon  another.  Some  of 
these  were  carpeted  with  a  soft  moss,  and  the  re- 
mainder had  on  top  of  them  an  accumulation 
of  soil  that  supported  wild  turnip,  dog-tusk 
violets,    beth,   mandrake,    leeks,    ferns,   seneca, 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  61 

spikenard,  angelica,  ginseng,  wild-gooseberry 
bushes,  and  many  otlier  plants  and  shrubs  that 
flourished  and  bloomed  in  the  most  brilliant 
profusion. 

Beneath  this  rich  robe  and  the  bowlders  which 
it  mantled  was  a  subterranean  brook,  whose  in- 
visible falls  and  cascades  rumbled  like  "  muffled 
drums,"  as  their  waters  passed  on  to  some  crystal 
outburst  below. 

When  Rollingbumb  passed  out  from  between 
the  adamantine  walls  of  his  sylvan  chamber  and 
concealed  his  gigantic  steel-traps  beneath  the 
leaves  and  moss  of  bruin's  passway,  the  grabs  at 
the  ends  of  the  chains  were  not  fastened  to  im- 
movable objects,  as  might  be  supposed,  because, 
in  that  event,  a  monstrous  bear,  when  captured, 
would  have  been  better  able  to  extricate  him- 
self than  when  the  great  sharp-fanged  transitory 
prison  was  allowed  to  move  to  the  bent  of  every 
overpowering  exertion  of  its  captive. 

When  bruin  suddenly  finds  his  paw  in  steel 
shackles,  against  w^hich  all  his  weapons  of  car- 
nivorous warfare  are  powerless,  he  invariably 
turns  at  right  angles  from  his  trail,  and  seldom 
goes  more  than  two  or  three  rods  before  the 
grabs  become  intangled,  as  seen  in  the  cut,  and 
he  comes  to  an  abrupt  halt.  But  after  biting  off 
all  the  shrubbery  within  the  length  of  his  cable, 


62  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

and  turning  everything  around  him  topsy-turvy, 
he  generally  disengages  himself,  and  then,  snort- 
ing with  rage  and  jingling  his  metallic  fetters,  he 
continues  his  clumsy  flight,  making  signs  that 
can  be  followed  as  readily  as  the  path  of  a  whirl- 
wind, until  the  grabs  catch  under  a  root  or  over 
a  bough,  and  he  is  hindered  as  before. 

Thus  clambering  through  his  painful  and  pro- 
voking prison  bounds,  he  seldom  gets  more  than 
a  fourth  of  a  mile  from  his  trail,  when  the 
hunter,  going  to  his  traps  and  finding  one  of  them 
missing,  follows  it  up,  and  slays  poor  bruin  in 
the  manner  illustrated. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  Linville  from  the 
Grandfather  is  the  spring-flowered  and  autum- 
nal tinted  Flat-Top  Mountain,  which  also  runs 
parallel  with  that  beautiful  stream,  and  has  a 
splendid  pinnacle  west  of  the  centre.  It  is 
noted  for  its  fertile  soil,  for  the  abundance  and 
variety  of  its  wild  herbs,  and  for  its  beautiful 
groves  of  oak,  chestnut,  sugar-maple,  and  other 
deciduous  trees. 

The  last  scene  of  our  story  occurred  at  the 
point  where  a  line  would  pass  if  drawn  from 
the  top  of  Yonahlossee,  through  the  valley  of 
the  Linville,  to  the  pinnacle  of  the  Flat-Top. 

The  party  had  passed  the  place  where  Clipper- 
steel  and  his  guide  had  camped  the  night  before, 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  63 

and  Skipper,  liaving  been  paid  to  carry  tlie  tent 
and  blankets,  had  tliem  rolled  up  and  laid  on  his 
shoulder.  The  minister  gazed  after  the  flying 
steeds  with  a  dumfounded  face,  while  Skipper 
stood  by,  w^ith  an  obelisk  of  mud  on  the  big  toe- 
nail of  his  left  foot,  and  said  in  an  ecstatic  voice, 
that  might  have  been  heard  by  the  man  in  the 
moon,  "  I'll  bet  ye  a  gill  of  balsam  ag'inst  a  dol- 
lar that  them  fellers  '11  fight  over  that  gal,  yit." 

When  Clippersteel  passed  round  the  curve 
behind  which  his  true  love  and  her  captor  had 
gone,  he  saw  them  going  at  full  speed,  so  far 
down  a  long  stretch  of  road  that  the  laurel  hang- 
ings seemed  to  crowd  in  almost  to  its  closing. 
In  his  hot  pursuit,  he  snatched  a  branch  from  a 
rhododendron  and,  larruping  the  horse  with  the 
broad  leaves,  the  animal  leaped  forward  with 
increased  alacrity  ;  and  Leathershine,  observing 
that  the  management  of  two  horses  was  un- 
equally matched  against  the  skill  and  speed  of 
a  single  rider,  dropped  the  rein,  and,  continuing 
his  flight,  was  soon  lost  to  view  under  the  over- 
hanging boughs  of  the  forest  road. 

Lidie  Meaks  was  an  expert  in  the  overland 
accomplishment  of  horseback  riding,  and  would 
have  prevented  this  equestrian  tornado,  but 
Leathershine  getting  the  horses  under  speed 
before  she  apprehended   his  intentions,  all  her 


64  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

skill  was  required  to  keep  the  saddle  and  evade 
the  lowering  boughs. 

When  Leathershine  dropped  the  rein,  she 
checked  the  speed  of  the  horse  and  caracoled  in 
the  road,  but  her  spirits  were  borne  down  with 
fear  lest  her  Charlie  would  believe  that  the  fires 
of  jealousy  burning  upon  the  youngster's  heart 
had  been  blown  by  the  bellows  of  her  own 
bosom.  Guided,  however,  by  a  clear  conscience, 
she  galloped  towards  her  champion,  and  when 
she  met  him  each  saw  on  the  other's  face  spots 
of  sunshine  and  shadow,  like  those  produced  on 
a  harvest-field  by  the  passage  of  broken  clouds. 
Comprehending  her  fears  and  knowing  her  in- 
nocence, Charlie  said,  in  a  tranquil  voice,  *'  Be  of 
good  cheer,  my  dear  Lidie,  for  in  the  game  of 
snatch  we  are  often  taken  by  the  one  we  least 
admire." 

"Thank  you,"  she  said,  panting  for  breath 
and  regaining  a  smile;  "and  believe  me,"  she 
continued,  "  I  never  saw  that  fellow  until  a  week 
ago ;  and  although  he  seemed  to  be  fond  of  my 
company,  I  never  thought  of  his  presuming  to 
claim  my  regard  until  this  hour,  during  which 
he  has  kept  my  horse  crowded  into  the  woods 
and  my  ears  inflated  with  wind." 

"  Had  not  the  coward  fled,"  said  Clippersteel,  "  I 
would  have  tested  the  thickness  of  his  cranium." 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  65 

"  Let  me  implore  you,"  answered  Lidie,  "  for 
the  sake  of  the  good  man  whose  pupil  he  is,  that 
you  treat  him  as  beneath  your  notice,  and  I  will 
stay  beyond  his  ken." 

"  Hello,"  shouted  Skipper,  arriving  Avith  the 
tent  on  his  shoulder  and  the  pyramid  of  mud  on 
his  toe-nail ;  "  you've  got  yer  gal  back,  I  see." 

Lidie  turned  her  head  to  conceal  the  humor- 
ous expression  which  the  remark  created  upon 
her  visage ;  and  Charlie  answered  him  with  a 
look  that  was  half  laughter. 

Mr.  Skiles  now  inquired  after  his  student,  and, 
being  informed  of  his  flight,  he  said,  solemnly 
and  reverently,  "  I  have  often  j)rayed  God  to 
gather  his  wild  oats  into  the  garner  of  repent- 
ance." 

After  Clippersteel  had  apologized  to  the  clergy- 
man for  driving  his  horse  through  the  nimble 
storm  of  passion's  fleet  despair,  the  journey  was 
continued,  and,  though  the  fugitive  was  often 
looked  for,  onlv  the  tracks  of  his  horse  were  seen. 

Close  beside  them  and  often  crossins;  their 
way  was  the  rippling  river  of  Linville,  singing 
its  song  of  joy  to  the  youthful  Linville  Valley, 
or  murmuring  its  sweet  story  to  the  myriads  of 
speckled  beauties  that  played  on  its  sparkling 
sands.  Here  it  is  that  the  angler  casts  his  rod 
over  the  home  of  the  piscatorial  tribe  and  brings 


66  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

forth  his  elegant  prize,  fluttering  his  finny  prat- 
tle against  the  rhododendron  boughs  that  hang 
like  green -spangled  awnings  over  the  glassy 
pools. 

Late  in  the  afternoon,  when  the  green  leaves 
were  rustled  by  a  bracing  zephyr,  the  dim  high- 
way— so  little  used  that  it  was  partly  grown 
over  with  wild  herbs — was  leading  the  party 
through  a  forest  of  large  trees  with  but  little 
underoTOwth.  Here  was  a  lone  rhododendron 
blooming  at  the  foot  of  a  tall  oak,  yonder  a 
cluster  of  azalia  that  fired  the  forest  with  its 
flaming  flora. 

Suddenly  they  came  to  a  fence,  and  going 
straight  forward,  while  the  road  turned  to  the 
left,  they  passed  through  a  gate  into  a  broad, 
beautiful  meadow,  which  was  divided  into  two 
nearly  equal  parts  by  the  pathway  that  led 
through  it  before  them.  To  the  left  of  this 
little  meadow  passage  the  mead  rolled  its  green 
sward  gently  down  to  the  Linville  Kiver,  beyond 
which  was  a  hill  of  laurel  and  pine  that  led  up 
by  steeps  and  land-saddles  that  wove  them- 
selves into  a  more  distant  prospect  of  elegant 
ridges. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  grassy  track  was 
a  cosey  carpet  of  horizontal  turf  that  led  back 
to  a  hill  of  equal  green,  which,  being  a  part  of 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  67 

the  same  enclosure,  swept  down  and  blended 
into  the  level  that  terminated  its  descent. 

Directly  before  them,  and  about  the  centre 
of  the  large  enclosure,  arose,  as  if  by  magic,  an 
elegant  white  mansion.  Of  its  two  fronts,  one 
overlooked  the  rolling  sward  that  divided  it 
from  the  river  on  the  south,  while  the  other 
caught  in  the  modillions  of  its  Corinthian  entab- 
lature the  first  kisses  of  the  rising  sun. 

Surroundino-  it  was  a  commodious  vard,  en- 
closed  by  a  picket  fence  of  such  low  structure 
that  it  gave  almost  a  complete  view  of  the  pinks, 
roses,  and  other  perennial  blossoms  that  adorned 
the  within. 

Two  gravelled  walks,  one  leading  from  each 
front  through  the  beautiful  flowers,  terminated 
at  as  many  gates,  of  wdiich  the  one  on  the  east 
stood  ajar  to  receive  those  who  were  about  to 
enter  its  portal. 

This  was  the  residence  of  Colonel  Salmer,*  a 
gentleman  of  fortune,  who  had  swapj)ed  the  song 
of  the  mockino'-bird  in  South  Carolina  for  the 

*  During  the  war  between  the  States,  this  mansion 
was  burned  by  Colonel  Kirk's  men  when  on  their  raid 
to  Camp  Yance.  The  property  is  now  owned  and  occu- 
pied by  Geo.  E.  Watkins,  formerly  of  the  U.  S.  Navy, 
who  has  built  an  elegant  dwelling  near  the  spot  where 
the  first  one  stood. 


68  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

nesting  place  of  the  snow-bird  in  the  beautiful 
land  of  the  sky. 

From  a  window  within,  tlie  lord  of  the  man- 
sion recognized  Mr.  Skiles  as  the  shepherd  of 
the  little  flock  to  which  he  belonged,  and,  going 
out  to  meet  him,  received  his  hand  with  a  cordial 
clasp.  The  Colonel  was  then  introduced  to  Mr. 
Clippersteel  and  Miss  Meaks,  while  Skipper 
John  looked  upon  the  formality  with  surprise, 
and  evidently  believed  it  to  be  some  angelic  per- 
formance, the  sanctity  of  whose  mysteries  none 
but  those  in  close  communion  with  the  Deity 
could  understand. 

An  inquiry  about  Leathershine  being  now  in 
order,  it  was  ascertained  that  he  had  been  there 
an  hour  before,  but,  having  learned  through 
Colonel  Salmer  that  a  Mr.  Franklin  lived  near 
the  falls,  he  had  gone  thither  to  spend  the  night. 

The  arrivals  were  now  conducted  to  seats  in 
the  south  23ortico,  which  commanded  an  elegant 
view  of  many  objects,  the  least  comely  of  them 
all  being  the  dim  road;  for  here  I  may  say  that, 
from  where  we  saw  it  last,  it  led  down  to  where 
the  fence  made  a  right  angle,  and  then  turning 
between  that  enclosing  structure  and  the  river 
continued  thus  until  it  passed  the  house. 

Skipper  being  helped  to  a  chair  leaned  his 
stupendous  form  against  one  of  the  supporting 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  69 

columns  that  stood  nearest  the  steps.  His  great 
wide  mouth  swung  open  like  a  fly-trap  made  of 
two  clap-boards,  and  his  knees  extended  quite 
up  to  the  sides  of  his  flat  head,  while  resting  on 
a  round  of  the  chair  below  were  two  massive  feet, 
whose  hard  bottoms,  seared  by  long  and  severe 
exposure,  bade  everlasting  defiance  to  the  chest- 
nut-burr and  the  thorn. 

The  landlord,  thinking  that  he  had  seen  him 
before,  scrutinized  him  with  a  curious  eye,  and 
only  wondered  what  manner  of  man  had  been 
brought  to  his  house ;  but  when  his  light-hearted 
wife  tripped  through  the  hall  and  burst  into  his 
presence,  she  drew  back  like  an  unarmed  man 
meeting  a  grizzly  on  the  great  solitudes  of  the 
West.  Her  eyes  twinkled  beneath  a  scowl  as 
she  scanned  him  with  a  recovering  glance.  She 
then  advanced  with  shy  steps,  and  gave  the 
minister  her  hand  and  received  an  introduction 
to  his  friends. 

By  this  time  Clippersteel  had  perceived  that  a 
rusty  j^air  of  number  sixteen  feet,  supporting  a 
form  of  proportionate  size  and  bearing,  would  be 
unwelcome  visitors  between  the  lily-white  sheets 
of  *  Mrs.  Salmer's  sleeping  apartments ;  and  as 
soon  as  he  could  politely  excuse  himself  he  pre- 
pared his  tent-bearer  a  resting-place  by  spreading 
the  tent  below  the  house,  by  the  laughing  river. 


70  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

Wlien  Clipper  had  placed  Skipper  securely  in 
the  little  pavilion  and  returned  to  the  portico, 
Mr.  Skiles  and  Miss  Meaks  had  been  conducted 
to  their  rooms,  and  Mrs.  Salmer  had  withdrawn 
to  the  culinary  department.  But  the  Colonel, 
remaining  in  what  Skipper  called  the  ''  porti- 
kiazer,*'  invited  his  returning  guest  to  a  seat,  and 
asked  him  how  he  liked  the  country. 

"  It  is  beautiful  indeed,"  was  the  answer ;  "  and 
what  estimate  would  you  set  upon  it,  if  a  hun- 
dred farms  in  this  valley  were  prepared  and 
occupied  like  yours  ?" 

''  It  would  be  the  Eden  of  the  world,  sir,  and 
the  pittance  for  which  the  land  could  now  be 
bought  would  scarcely  be  recognized  in  the  esti- 
mation of  its  value." 

"  I  concur  in  your  opinion  ;  and  I  venture  to 
say  further,  that  the  fifteen  miles  of  country  that 
I  have  seen  this  evening,  embracing  yonder 
stream  from  here  to  its  source,  is  worth  more  for 
the  real  comforts  of  life  than  ten  times  its  area 
elsewhere  in  the  most  fertile  fields  of  the  South." 

"  Experience  has  taught  me  that  your  position 
is  true,  and,  while  my  friends  call  it  monkish  in 
me  to  have  withdrawn  from  the  allurements  of 
city  life  to  this  tranquillizing  retreat,  I  answer 
them  with  the  following  beautiful  story  of  Cin- 
cinnatus : 


TEE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  71 

"  When  that  model  of  Roman  genius  and  integ- 
rity had  received  a  letter  from  the  senate,  asking 
him,  for  the  sake  of  the  republic,  to  return  to 
the  dictatorship,  which  he  had  resigned,  he  re- 
plied as  follows : 

"  '  If  you  could  see  the  nice  cabbage  that  I  have 
planted  to-day,  you  would  never  say  republic  to 
me  again.'  In  like  manner  I  say  to  my  friends, 
'  If  you  were  to  drink  from  the  cool,  pellucid  water 
of  my  spring ;  feast  on  the  rich  milk  from  the 
fat  cattle  that  graze  my  fields ;  breathe  the  sweet 
air  from  the  Balsam  Groves  of  the  Grandfather, 
and  view  their  glorious  aspect,  and  see  the  red 
roses  that  have  taken  the  place  of  blanched  lilies 
on  the  cheeks  of  my  wife  and  darling  boyj  you 
would  never  say  city  to  me  again.' " 

The  spring  of  which  the  Colonel  spoke  was 
reached  by  a  diagonal  path  passing  through  and 
beyond  the  front  yard  to  the  right,  Avhere  the 
smoothness  of  the  landscape  was  broken  by  some 
,rocks  that  jutted  from  the  slope,  and  seemed  to 
wall  the  subterranean  channel  through  which 
the  little  stream  came  from  some  higher  source. 
Here  was  the  dairy,  which  was  made  of  hewn 
logs  neatly  joined  together  and  painted  white. 
Its  form  was  that  of  an  oblong  square.  The 
plates  crowning  the  side  walls  and  the  roof  sup- 
ported by  them,  passed  over  and  beyond  the  end 


72  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

wall  next  the  hill,  forming  an  extended  gable 
that  sheltered  both  the  spring  and  the  entrance 
to  the  little  edifice. 

Large  slabs  of  stone  walled  in  the  crystal 
fountain,  and  extended  their  collateral  joinings 
on  the  side  towards  the  approach,  forming  a  seat 
for  two  persons. 

After  a  delicious  supper  of  savory  dishes,  its 
elegant  serving  by  the  accomplished  landlady, 
the  sending  of  a  portion  of  the  same  to  Skipper, 
who  lived  in  the  tent,  and  the  interesting  and 
varied  conversation  participated  in  during  the 
consumption  of  the  repast,  Clippersteel  and  his 
beloved  went  down  to  the  spring  and  occupied 
the  seat  above  referred  to. 

The  tiny  streamlet,  trickling  from  its  source 
through  the  apartments  of  the  dairy,  chirped 
like  young  birds  claiming  their  mother's  pro- 
tection at  night,  as  Clippersteel  said  to  his  in- 
tended, "Look  towards  those  willows  by  the 
rippling  stream ;  see  how  the  glow-worms  and 
fire-flies  streak  and  spangle  the  twilight." 

"I  was  just  asking  myself,"  she  replied, 
"  whether  or  not  our  lives  would  end  so  beauti- 
fully as  the  closing  of  this  day." 

."Only  those  who  live  after  us  can  tell  the 
solution  of  that  problem.  Useful  lives  and 
beautiful  days  often  have  endings  quite  different 


TEE  GRANDFATEER  MOUNTAIN.  73 

from  the  zeniths  of  their  glory ;  and  the  changes 
that  take  place  in  the  skies  of  a  single  clay  may 
elegantly  illustrate  the  human  career.  For  in- 
stance, I  have  seen  the  sun  burn  his  way  through 
twelve  hours  of  ethereal  blue,  and  then  set  in  a 
cloud  that  soon  obscured  the  sky  with  darkness 
and  gloom,  and  the  red  lightning,  darting  its 
fiery  shuttle  through  the  loom  of  thunder,  wove 
a  curtain  that  mantled  the  earth  in  terror  and 
death.  Then  I  have  seen  days  that  were  dark  and 
dreary,  when  the  bellowing  thunder  drove  the 
wild  beast  to  his  shelter  in  the  rocks,  and  the 
pelting  rain  thrown  by  the  angry  hand  of  the 
storm  demolished  the  crops  of  the  land  and  left 
the  sinewy  hands  of  toil  empty  with  hunger  and 
pain.  Then  the  clouds  drifted  away,  and  Sol 
impressed  his  good-night  kisses  upon  the  moun- 
tain-tops in  token  that  he  would  rise  from  a 
saffron  bed  on  the  morrow.  Again,  there  has 
been  many  a  succession  of  beautiful  days  accom- 
panied by  as  many  glorious  eves,  when  Venus 
and  the  moon,  contesting  for  the  prize  of  beauty, 
hung  their  golden  scale  in  the  west  to  weigh  the 
admiration  that  each  received  from  the  world, 
and  the  chestnut  sunshine  that  painted  the 
blooming  fields  was  broken  only  by  gentle 
showers,  that  struck  not  the  earth  with  madness, 
but   gave  it  a  warm   kiss,  from  whose   loving 


74  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

impress  there  sprang  up  a  beautiful  robe  of 
green." 

"  Wliat  a  23rofusion  of  beautiful  words  you 
utter,  Charlie.  You  have  painted  three  pictures 
of  human  life  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave. 
May  our  lot  be  neither  the  first  nor  the  second, 
but  let  it  be  like  the  continuation  of  beautiful 
days.  May  our  lives  be  a  season  of  perpetual 
sunshine  to  the  heart,  when  the  mind  neither 
reverts  to  tire  past  nor  reaches  to  the  future,  but 
is  content  with  the  pleasures  of  the  present; 
and  if  tears  must  come,  may  they  fall  in  the 
prepared  soil  and  ripen  the  fruits  of  the  soul ; 
and  at  the  end  we  will  not  contest  for  the  prize, 
but  will  be  content  to  share  alike  the  glories  of 
the  world  to  come." 

"  You  have  a  tenderness  about  you,  my  dear 
Lidie,  and  a  nobleness  of  heart  which  I  never 
heard  expressed  before.  Your  sweet  words,  drop- 
ping like  vocal  roses  from  the  gardens  of  lan- 
guage, heighten,  if  possible,  the  joy  of  the 
thought  that  you  are  soon  to  be  mine.  Your 
silvery  accents,  to  which  the  trickling  streamlet 
beside  us  plays  a  sweet  accompaniment,  tell  me 
to  rob  life  no  longer  of  the  bliss  for  which  I 
sigh ;  and  now,  as  you  have  no  parents'  consent 
to  obtain,  no  sisters  to  invite,  but  only  a  lone 
brother   far   in   the  West,  I  propose   that  our 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  75 

nuptials   be  performed   at   the   great   falls,   to- 
morrow.'' 

Lidie,  remaining  silent  for  a  time,  heaved  a 
sigh,  and  then  said,  "  I  fear  that  Prudence  would 
censure  my  acceptance,  for  I  am  in  the  far-off 
mountains,  without  a  wedding  garment,  or  even 
a  few  friends  to  celebrate  the  occasion." 

"  The  foaming  falls  will  lend  you  from  their 
white  spray  a  queenly  robe,  the  benign  woods 
will  deck  it  with  flowers  more  gorgeous  than  the 
artist  can  paint,  and  the  harmonious  melody 
produced  by  the  combined  musical  agents  of 
flood  and  forest  will  do  honor  to  the  occasion.'' 


76  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 


CHAPTEE    V. 

THE   WEDDING. 

The  falls  that  pour  their  foaming  floods, 

And  set  the  wind  in  motion, 
That  wave  the  boughs  and  flaunt  the  carls 

On  heads  of  true  devotion, 
Could  they  but  sing  the  song  of  pain 

That's  mingled  in  my  story. 
Their  name  would  fill  the  vaulted  skies, 

And  be  enrolled  in  glory. 

The  beautiful  homestead  depicted  in  the  last 
chapter  is  now  in  Mitchell  County,  but  at  the 
time  of  our  story  it  was  in  the  county  of  Wa- 
tauga, and  more  than  twenty  miles  from  the 
court-house.  However,  it  w^as  only  eight  miles 
south  of  a  place  that  was  and  is  called  the  "  Old 
Field  of  Toe,"  a  muster-ground  in  use  before 
the  war,  where  lived  a  magistrate  who  was  depu- 
tized to  issue  marriage  licenses. 

When  Clippersteel  had  conducted  his  lady  in 
out  of  the  night  air  from  the  seat  by  the  spring, 
he  consulted  the  landlord  for  a  few  moments, 
after  which  he  wrote  a  note  to  the  justice,  enclos- 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  77 

ing  a  license-fee,  and  then  passed  out  and  down 
towards  the  tent. 

As  he  tripped  down  through  the  lawn  with 
the  peert  and  nimble  spirit  of  Hymen  playing 
in  his  bosom,  he  sang  the  following  lines : 

Lovely  Emma,  sweet  Emma, 

Would  you  think  it  unkind. 
If  I  were  to  sit  by  you 

And  tell  you  my  mind  ? 
My  mind  is  to  marry, 

And  never  to  part ; 
The  first  time  I  saw  you 

You  wounded  my  heart. 

Chorus. 

Oh,  her  breath  smells  as  sweet 

As  the  dew  on  the  vine ; 
God  bless  you,  lovely  Emma, 

I  wish  you  were  mine. 

He  was  now  near  the  little  white  pavilion, 
where  Skipper's  deep  slumbers  Avere  betokened 
by  the  loud,  nocturnal  winding  of  his  nasal  horn. 
His  peculiar  errand,  and  the  feeling  engen- 
dered by  it,  had  intensified  that  inherited  super- 
stition which  dwells  even  in  the  bosom  of  the 
wise.  Forms  of  fear  gathered  in  the  quiet 
willows  bv  the  stream,  and  the  nasal  voice  of 
Skipper  sounded  like  groans  from  some  cavern 

7* 


78  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

of  the  earth  in  which  the  bones  of  dead  men 
were  mouldering. 

"  On  the  lawny  sands  and  shelves 
Trip  the  peert  fairies  and  the  da2:)per  elves." 

Witli  his  heart  slightly  unnerved  and  danc- 
ing to  the  music  of  Hymen's  lute,  Clippersteel 
bounded  into  the  tent  and  stirred  the  snoring 
man  from  his  lethargy. 

"  Have  you  ever  been  to  the  *  Old  Fields  of 
Toe'  ?  "  inquired  he. 

"Yes,  sar,"  answered  Skipper,  pressing  the 
knuckles  of  his  front  fingers  against  his  eyes; 
"I  went  thar  to  the  big  balluginary "  (bat- 
talion) "  muster." 

It  was  now  agreed  between  Clipper  and  Skip- 
per that,  if  the  latter  should  have  the  license  in 
the  tent  by  daylight  on  the  morrow,  he  was  to 
receive,  as  a  partial  compensation,  enough  money 
to  buy  him  a  new  fur  hat,  which  in  those  days 
meant  a  high  stiff  hat,  plushed  with  fur  on  the 
outside,  and  having  a  crown  flat  on  top. 

This  was  the  style  of  masculine  head-gear  that 
a  gentleman  had  on  when  a  jester  accosted  him 
with  the  following  interrogation  : 

"  Halloo,  stranger ;  are  your  cows  all  dead  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,"  replied  the  man ;  "  and  why  do 
you  ask  that  question  ?  " 


\ 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  79 

"  Why,  sir/'  replied  the  merry-Andrew,  "  I  see 
that  you  have  your  wife's  churn  on  your  head." 

In  case  of  a  successful  trip  on  the  part  of 
Skipper,  he  was  to  receive,  also,  sufficient  money 
to  purchase  himself  a  pair  of  boots,  of  which  the 
fronts  were  to  be  red,  from  the  tops  down  nearly 
to  the  ankles. 

Skipper  was  soon  plodding  his  way  through 
the  valleys  and  over  the  heights,  and,  as  the 
moping  owl  complained  to  the  fair  moon  that 
rolled  up  the  eastern  sky,  he  meditated  upon  the 
future  as  follows :  "  I'll  stick  a  feather  from  the 
red  rooster's  tail  in  my  fur  hat,  and  put  my  red- 
topped  boots  on  the  outside  of  my  pants,  and  go 
to  see  Peggy  Sigemore,  and  Betz  Kite,  who 
kicked  me  and  called  me  an  old  balsam  climber, 
will  wish  that  she  had  me  for  a  beau." 

As  these  happy  thoughts  of  sudden  distinction 
passed  through  his  mind,  he  was  so  transported 
with  joy  that  he  answered  the  hoot  of  the  owl  with 
the  following  hymn,  which  he  sang  to  long  metre : 

"  The  squir'l  he  has  a  bushy  tail, 
The  possum's  tail  is  bare, 
A  rabbit  has  no  tail  at  all, 
But  a  little  bit-a-bunch  of  hair. 

"  The  raccoon  up  the  chestnut-tree, 
The  possum  in  the  holler, 
A  purty  gal  at  our  house. 
As  fat  as  she  can  waller." 


80  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

Next  morning,  when  twilight  still  spread  her 
dusky  pinions  over  the  land,  and  the  moon,  hang- 
ing just  above  the  western  horizon,  cast  a  pale 
glare  on  the  saffron-gild  from  the  sun,  Clipper- 
steel  re-entered  the  tent,  where  his  precursor, 
having  returned,  was  again  wrapped  in  the  re- 
storing arms  of  Morpheus.  In  his  right  hand, 
which  rested  on  his  brow,  was  the  marriage 
document,  while  around  one  of  his  great  toes, 
at  the  other  extremity  of  his  long  person,  was 
a  bandage  of  green  leaves  tied  on  with  a  string  of 
hickory  bark  and  bloodied  from  a  wound  within. 
Seeing  that  all  was  well,  he  left  the  man  for  an 
hour  to  his  peaceful  slumbers,  and  then  returned 
with  a  waiter  heavy  laden  with  hot  coffee  and 
wholesome  food,  and  as  he  entered  the  tent 
Skipper  arose,  and,  extending  his  hand,  said : 

"  I  got  'um,  goody  ;  her's  yer  licengers." 

"  And  here,"  said  Clippersteel,  ^'  is  your 
money,"  passing  him  a  handful  of  silver  dollars. 
Skipper  smiled  behind  his  ears,  and  his  short 
coat  danced  up  and  down  to  the  roaring  chuckle 
that  inflated  his  ribs. 

*'  Did  a  snake  bite  your  toe  ?"  inquired  Clipper- 
steel. 

"  No,  sar,"  replied  Skipper ;  "  I  stump'  the 
nail  off 'en  it,"  and,  putting  his  hand  in  his  pant's 
pocket,  he  drew  out  the  great  bloody  toe  armor, 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  81 

and,  handing  it  to  Clippersteel,  said,  "  Thar  it  is. 
I'll  give  ye  that  to  remember  who  brought  yer 
licengers." 

"  Thank  you.  Skipper,"  was  the  reply  ;  "  it  is 
a  nice  souvenir,  and  I  shall  ever  keep  it  among 
my  most  valued  treasures."  Skipper  thought 
that  he  had  never  before  heard  a  toe-nail  called 
a  "  susandear,"  but,  not  doubting  the  authentic- 
ity of  the  word,  he  adopted  it  into  his  vocabu- 
lary, and  ever  afterwards  applied  the  name  to 
toe-nails  that  had  been  knocked  off  by  accident. 

The  blue  sky  that  adorned  the  wedding-day 
was  decked  w^ith  a  bright  sun  that  had  risen  a 
few  degrees  above  the  horizon  when  the  party 
filed  through  the  gate,  by  the  tent,  and  turned 
down  the  murmurins:  stream.  Ridino;  in  front 
was  the  lone  Mr.  Skiles.  Next  in  order  was  the 
bride  and  groom,  the  latter  occupying  a  horse 
procured  from  a  Mr.  Dellinger,  who  was  neigh- 
bor to  the  host  and  hostess.  Third  in  rank  was 
Mrs.  Salmer  and  the  Colonel,  who  were  mounted 
on  two  splendid  bays  from  their  own  stalls,  while 
the  rear  was  brought  up  by  a  servant  riding  a 
long-eared  donkey  and  bearing  on  his  arm  a 
large  basket  of  lunch. 

Skipper,  who  had  gone  in  advance,  was  so  elated 
by  his  connection  with  the  affair  that  he  told 
every  yeoman   he   met   by  the  way  what   was 
/ 


82  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

going  to  take  place  at  the  falls  ;  and  these  early 
settlers,  whose  amusements  were  few  and  far  be- 
tween, looking  upon  the  outdoor  wedding  as  a 
public  affair,  dropped  their  ploughs  and  hoes  in 
the  fields,  and  putting  on  their  best  garments 
went  towards  the  scene. 

In  consequence  of  the  above,  Mr.  Skiles  soon 
found  an  equestrian  partner  in  the  person  of  a 
Mr.  Buchanan,  who  had  quit  the  irksome  mono- 
tone of  his  plough  for  the  exhilarating  pastime 
of  nuptial  festivities. 

Before  the  equestrians  reached  the  falls, 
Skipper,  whom  they  had  jDassed  on  the  way,  had 
gathered  to  his  side  a  company  of  twenty  persons 
or  more,  made  uj)  of  both  sexes,  in  about  equal 
numbers.  The  women  wore  homespun  dresses, 
which  they  had  made  for  themselves,  by  carding, 
spinning,  and  weaving  the  fleece  of  the  sheep, 
and,  finally,  cutting  and  fitting  the  fabric  to  their 
persons.  Their  head-gear  consisted  of  plain 
calico  bonnets,  while  their  waists  and  bosoms  were 
set  about  with  fillets  of  red  ribbon  that  flaunted 
to  the  gales  of  the  woods. 

Each  man  was  armed  with  his  long  fire- 
lock rifle,  which,  when  stood  upon  its  breech, 
extended  from  the  soles  of  his  feet  to  the 
crown  of  his  head.  These  were  carried  as  a 
means  of  killino;  the  abundant  deer  and  other 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  83 

game  that  frequently  crossed  the  roads  and 
paths. 

In  the  party  was  a  moustaehed  man,  middle- 
aged  and  handsome,  by  the  name  of  Clark,  who 
seemed  to  have  descended  from  some  professional 
family  that  had  strayed  into  the  far-off  mountains 
and  retrograded  from  their  former  learning  and 
dignity. 

Beside  him  was  his  daughter.  Miss  Ada,  a 
blooming  girl  of  sweet  sixteen,  whose  form  was 
cast  in  neat  proportion's  mould.  Her  queenly 
hands,  tapering  and  fair  as  the  lily,  were 
gloved  with  a  pair  of  red  mits  of  her  own  knit- 
ting, which  exposed  the  ends  of  the  fingers  and 
the  first  joints  of  the  thumbs. 

Her  golden  hair  was  like  a  shower  of  primrose 
petals  falling,  and  her  cheeks  were  finished  with 
the  artistic  touches  of  Aurora's  rosy  hand.  Her 
eyes  were  like  the  corolla  leaves  of  the  blue- 
veined  violet,  her  nose  was  a  posy  to  her  face, 
and  her  pearly  teeth  sparkled  with  nectarean 
dew.  "  She  was  a  flower  born  to  blush  unseen 
and  waste  its  sweetness  on  the  desert  air." 

In  those  days  it  was  customary  for  a  gentleman 
to  propose  his  escort  to  a  lady  in  the  following 
manner.  Walking  up  to  her  side,  he  said,  "  Do 
you  love  chicken  ?"  which  nowadays  would  be 
equivalent  to  asking  if  she  were  a  Methodist. 


84  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

If  she  answered  "  Yes,"  he  then  presented  his 
arm  with  the  words,  "  Have  a  wing,"  whereupon 
she  put  her  arm  through  his.  But  if  the  answer 
was  "  No,"  he  was  refused,  or,  in  the  parlance  of 
the  times,  she  had  "  kicked"  him.  Such  scenes 
usually  occurred  in  large  crowds  that  were  going 
the  distance  of  ten  miles  or  more,  to  or  from 
church,  on  the  Sabbath  day,  and  the  fellow  who 
got  "  kicked"  was  always  greatly  derided  by 
most  of  those  who  witnessed  the  chagrin  of  his 
disappointment. 

On  the  present  occasion,  when  all  were  bound 
for  the  falls,  a  fellow,  with  the  blood-red  top-knot 
of  an  imperial  woodpecker  in  his  hat-band, 
stepped  up  to  the  side  of  Miss  Ada;  bijt  just  as 
he  would  have  propounded  the  Methodist  ques- 
tion, her  father  gave  him  a  disapproving  glance, 
by  which  his  heart  failed  him,  and  he  passed  on 
to  the  side  of  a  bunty  girl  with  a  flaxen  head  and 
a  frisky  air,  and,  looking  her  in  the  face  with  a 
grin,  he  said,  *'  Aggie,  do  you  love  chicken  ?" 

*'  I  don't  love  roosters,"  was  the  pert  reply. 

The  answer  beino;  new  and  thorou^'hlv  orio-inal, 
the  fellow  was  for  a  time  completely  dumfounded 
for  something  to  say,  but  finally  he  got  his  mouth 
off,  and  said,  "  Will  you  let  one  walk  with  you 
to  the  wed'en  ?" 

"  Yes,  if  he  don't  crow  too  loud,"  she  replied. 


LINVILLE    FALLS. 


Page  85. 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN,  85 

The  heterogeneous  gathering  was  now  on  the 
west  bank  of  the  river,  at  the  top  of  the  cataract, 
where  the  stream  passed  transversely  over  a 
saddle  of  rock,  and  dropping  off,  at  the  lower 
skirt,  fell  the  height  of  a  tall  tree  into  a  pool  of 
matchless  depth  and  beauty.  But  since  that  time 
the  ledge  has  broken  down,  so  that  the  water 
leaps  and  cascades  alternately  through  a  curved 
and  partly  concealed  grove,  and  finally  termi- 
nates in  a  clear  fall  of  only  about  thirty  feet,  as 
seen  in  the  cut. 

The  pool,  however,,  which  is  about  fifty  yards 
wide  and  twice  as  long,  with  the  corners  slightly 
rounded,  has  lost  none  of  its  original  beauty, 
unless  it  is  in  the  diminished  magnitude  of  the 
white  breakers  that  rufile  its  dark  bosom.  The 
long  way  of  this  beautiful  lake  is  at  right 
angles  to  the  fall,  and  its  outlet  is  through  a 
narrow  channel  at  the  east  end. 

The  party,  having  satiated  their  sesthetic 
vision  from  the  top,  now  started  for  a  landing  at 
the  bottom,  and  there  never  was  a  wilder  way 
than  theirs.  The  little  track  wound,  and  still 
winds,  through  and  under  laurel  and  ivy,  around 
and  over  cliffs,  and  then  turns  down  a  slope  of 
forty-five  degrees,  and  runs  as  straight  as  a  gun- 
barrel  for  the  distance  of  fifty  yards.  This 
visible   section   of  the   path,   canopied   by   the 

8 


86  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

lapping  boiighs  of  the  rhododendron  and  calmia, 
is  crossed  by  many  rocks  and  tree  roots,  which, 
having  been  divested  of  soil  by  clambering  feet, 
look  like  the  rounds  of  a  long  ladder  leading 
down  to  the  subterranean  falls  and  glittering 
stalactites  of  a  cave.  At  the  foot  of  this  shaded 
vista,  the  way  turning  down  the  stream  to  the 
right  passes  up  into  and  down  through  crevices, 
where  the  overhanging  rocks,  being  of  the  Meth- 
odist persuasion,  sprinkle  the  heads  of  the  pass- 
ers-by with  clean  water.  And,  indeed,  it  seems 
quite  thoughtful  in  these  stones  to  prepare  the 
traveller  at  this  point  for  death,  because  the  next 
fifty  yards  of  his  path  are  the  most  dangerous 
that  the  writer  has  witnessed  in  all  North  Carolina. 
Here  the  south  side  of  the  pool  is  bounded  by 
a  perpendicular  rock  that  walls  an  unknown 
depth  of  water,  and  then  rises  from  ten  to  thirty 
feet  above  its  surface ;  and  we  do  not  exaggerate 
in  the  least,  when  we  say  that  the  track  is  on 
the  very  brink  of  this  ledge,  and  in  some  places 
barely  w^ide  enougli  for  the  feet.  The  fears  of 
the  tourist  are  to  some  extent  removed  by  the 
laurel  hangings  above  and  a  fringe  of  light 
vegetation  on  the  brow  of  the  rock  below,  but 
the  latter  would  not  support  the  weight  of  a 
falling  babe,  and  the  former  might  be  missed  by 
the  clutch  of  one  who  had  lost  his  footing.     If 


THE  GRAND  FATHER  MOUNTAIN.  87 

ever  a  lady  tumbles  over  this  precipice,  she  will 
most  probably  be  lost,  and  a  gentleman  could 
save  himself  only  by  good  swimming. 

Our  wedding  party,  now  quadrupled  by  the 
country  people,  followed  this  hazardous  track 
to  where  it  spreads  into  a  bench  of  rock  about 
as  wide  as  the  floor  of  a  bedroom  and  several 
times  as  long.  If  we  imagine  this  seat  occupied 
by  a  giant  of  suitable  size,  his  calves  will  rest 
against  the  perpendicular  wall  of  the  pool  and 
his  feet  will  be  washed  by  its  breakers.  Before 
him,  the  white  torrent  pours  down  into  the  boil- 
ing pot,  while  immediately  on  the  right  of  the 
foaming  cataract  rises  a  great  ledge  of  stone, 
from  whose  summit  a  Niagara  leaper  might 
make  a  most  beautiful  dive  into  the  pool,  one 
hundred  feet  below. 

This  ledge  is  only  the  upper  end  of  a  long 
w^all  that  extends  down  the  stream  and  rears  its 
battlements  in  front  of  a  low  oval  knob,  in  the 
rear  of  which  is  a  scattered  growth  of  dead 
and  living  pine,  with  scarcely  anything  beneath 
except  short  bunches  of  calmia. 

The  back  of  our  imaginary  giant  is  supported 
by  the  smooth  face  of  a  cliff"  about  thirty  feet 
high,  which  breaks  at  the  top  into  a  succession 
of  ivy-mantled  crags  that  rise  almost  perpen- 
dicularly for  several  hundred  feet,  to  where  they 


88  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

are  crowned  with  a  grove  of  Carolina  pine  [Abies 
Caroliniana).  While  these  crags  are  exceed- 
ingly beautiful  in  elevation,  they  are  also  equally 
picturesque  in  their  longitudinal  extension  far 
down  the  stream,  where  the  rocks  rear  their  gray 
crests  above  their  evergreen  mantles,  and,  with 
their  surroundings,  blend  into  a  scene  as  wild 
and  varied  as  can  be  woven  of  the  warp  and 
woof  of  mystery  and  repose. 

The  country  gentlemen,  having  leaned  their 
rifles  against  the  cliflP,  stood  with  their  women 
folks,  anxiously  awaiting  the  expected  event. 
In  due  time  the  bride  and  groom,  attended  by 
Colonel  and  Mrs.  Salmer,  were  arrayed  for  mar- 
riage. 

Their  backs  were  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
guns,  while  their  faces  were  towards  the  great 
pouring  column,  wliose  white  wings  and  boiling 
pedestal  sent  forth  a  breeze  that  set  all  the  near 
flora  and  other  equally  movable  objects  in 
motion, — bush,  weed,  and  flower,  as  well  as 
ribbons,  tresses,  whiskers,  and  moustaches,  and 
even  the  leaves  of  the  minister's  book  were  all 
dancing  to  the  wind  of  the  falls.  As  Mr.  Skiles 
composed  the  fluttering  pages  beneath  his  thumbs, 
he  drew  so  near  and  spoke  so  loud,  in  order  to  be 
heard  above  the  roar  of  the  waters,  that  his 
manner,  elsewhere,  would   have   been    suitable 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  89 

only  to  those  who  were  partially  deaf.  The 
charming  bride,  with  dove-like  eyes,  looked 
steadily  upon  the  minister ;  and,  as  he  proceeded 
with  the  beautiful  Episcopal  service,  there  never 
was  a  bliss  more  wild  and  warm  and  boundless 
than  that  which  thrilled  her  heart.  "  If  any 
man,"  said  the  clergyman,  ^'  can  show  just  cause 
why  they  may  not  lawfully  be  joined  together, 
let  him  now  speak  or  else  hereafter  forever  hold 
his  peace." 

To  the  great  surprise  of  all  present,  a  sneer- 
ing voice,  on  a  different  key  from  the  thunder- 
ing of  the  falls,  was  heard  to  say,  "  I  object." 
This  came  from  none  other  than  Leathershine, 
who  had  resolved  to  avenge  his  defeat  by  vexing 
the  occasion  with  this  obnoxious  objection,  based, 
as  we  shall  see,  upon  an  odious  falsehood ;  and, 
the  better  to  accomplish  his  design,  he  had  con- 
cealed himself  in  the  green  of  the  steeps,  so  as 
to  appear  at  a  time  when  the  groom  could  not 
contravene  his  purpose  nor  do  him  violence. 

"  What  is  the  ground  of  your  objection  ?" 
inquired  the  minister. 

"  She  is  engaged  to  me"  w^as  the  reply. 

No  one  can  describe  the  trembling  pallor  that 
seized  the  person  of  poor  Lidie  Meaks.  With 
eyes  full  of  overflowing  fondness,  she  looked  upon 
him  she  loved,  as  if  to  say,  "  I  am  innocent." 

8* 


90  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

Her  chin  dropped  upon  the  flowers  that  adorned 
her  bosom  ;  every  nerve  and  muscle  of  her  frame 
lost  its  energy,  and  she  sank  at  the  feet  of  the 
groom,  not  in  the  fashion  of  one  who  falls  under 
the  influence  of  excessive  excitement,  but  like 
a  pure  woman  borne  down  by  the  weight  of  a 
calumny  perpetrated  upon  a  warm  life  that  no 
sin  had  ever  tarnished. 

The  copious  pool,  so  near  the  fainting  bride, 
was  yet  so  far  that  not  a  drop  of  its  pellucid 
contents  could  be  had  with  which  to  bathe  her 
brow. 

But  the  groom  quickly  produced  from  his 
pocket  a  little  bottle  of  brandy,  which  he 
carried,  as  a  precaution,  in  case  of  accidents, 
and  spreading  a  portion  of  its  contents  over  her 
pallid  face,  the  signs  of  restoration  soon  became 
apparent.  The  country  folks  had  gathered 
round  like  the  p)eople  of  a  city  rushing  to  the 
scene  of  an  accident,  when  those  at  disadvantage 
look  over  the  shoulders  of  those  in  front  to  get 
a  view  of  the  within. 

By  this  time  Leathershine  had  run  down  the 
lake,  and  was  ascending  the  heights  at  a  point 
below,  when  Clippersteel,  darting  through  the 
crowd,  snatched  a  rifle  from  its  leaning-place, 
and  was  aiming  a  shot  that  would  have  de- 
spatched  the   retreating   coward,  had   not   Mr. 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  91 

Clark  grabbed  the  muzzle  of  the  gun  and  borne 
it  downward  until  he  had  gone  out  of  sight. 

A  few  minutes  later  the  infamous  dude 
mounted  his  horse,  and,  riding  directly  to 
Valle  Crucis,  packed  his  trunk  and  fled  before 
Mr.  Skiles  had  returned. 

The  tumult  was  now  ended ;  the  bride  was 
able  to  sit  upon  a  shawl  which  had  been  offered 
by  a  good  mountain  matron ;  and  an  hour  later 
the  marriage  service  was  closed  with  the  follow- 
ing prayer : 

^'  O  eternal  God,  creator  and  preserver  of  all 
mankind,  giver  of  all  spiritual  grace,  the  author 
of  everlasting  life,  send  thy  blessing  upon  these 
thy  servants,  this  man  and  this  w^oman,  whom 
we  bless  in  thy  name ;  that,  as  Isaac  and  Re- 
becca lived,  faithfully  together,  so  these  persons 
may  surely  perform  and  keep  the  vow  and 
covenant  betwixt  them  made  (whereof  this  ring 
given  and  received  is  a  token  and  j^ledge),  and 
may  ever  remain  in  perfect  love  and  peace  to- 
gether, and  live  according  to  thy  laws,  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen." 

Hanging  on  a  limb,  at  the  top  of  the  cataract, 
was  the  basket  of  lunch,  and  those  for  whose 
comfort  it  had  been  prepared,  now  climbing  in 
single  file  for  its  rich  morsels,  w^ere  followed  by 
the  riflemen,  with  their  ruddy  consorts  and  lasses. 


92  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

As  the  mountaineers  were  departing  for  their 
homes,  Mr.  Clark  and  his  daughter  accepted  a 
cordial  invitation  from  Mrs.  Salmer  to  take  kmch. 

The  dinner  was  taken  to  a  convenient  spot, 
where  a  number  of  large  rocks  laid  round  in 
circular  form,  and  spread  within  their  circumfer- 
ence on  the  cloths  in  which  it  had  been  folded. 

Skipper,  having  now  remained  with  his  older 
friends,  looked  on  from  a  distance,  as  if  uncertain 
as  to  how  near  the  food  his  welcome  extended ; 
but  when  Clippersteel  observed  his  doubtful  atti- 
tude, he  took  him  by  the  arm  and  seated  him  on 
a  bowlder,  suitable  to  his  size,  within  the  circle. 
His  valuable  service  to  Mr.  Clippersteel  and  the 
wound  ujion  his  great  toe  having  elicited  general 
sympathy,  Mrs.  Salmer  helped  him  to  the  first 
round,  as  she  did  the  rest,  and  then  bade  all  wait 
on  themselves. 

Under  the  cloths,  in  the  corner  nearest  to 
Skipper,  was  a  flat  rock  that  so  pressed  its 
bosom  against  the  white  covering  as  to  form  a 
neat  little  elevation,  which  was  occupied  by  a 
large,  highly-flavored  cake,  of  a  rich,  yellowish 
cast,  the  same  being  cut  from  the  centre  to  every 
second  or  third  convolution  that  ornamented  its 
circumference. 

When  Skipper  had  quickly  gulped  down 
what  had  been  given  him,  he  took  a  piece  of 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  93 

cake,  when  Mrs.  Salmer,  looking  upon  him 
with  a  degree  of  allowance,  thought,  "  Poor, 
ignorant  fellow  doesn't  know  which  end  of  the 
meal  to  begin  at." 

The  Adam's-apple  on  Skipper's  neck  had 
not  played  up  and  down  more  than  twice,  when 
he  seized  a  second  piece  of  the  rich  composition, 
and  then  a  third ;  and  the  lady  in  charge,  be- 
coming alarmed  lest  none  should  be  left  for  the 
rest,  laid  a  drum-stick  on  a  biscuit,  and  said, — 

"Here,  Mr.  Potter"  (calling  his  surname), 
"  have  this  nice  chicken  and  biscuit." 

^'Oh,  no,"  said  he;  "eat  that  yerself;  this 
punkin  bread's  good  enough  fur  me." 

Those  who  had  previously  suppressed  their 
hilarity  at  Skipper's  mistakes  were  now  unable 
to  conceal  their  glee,  and  all  burst  into  such 
explosions  of  laughter  that  great  mouthfuls  of 
masticated  bread  and  butter  flew  against  the 
surrounding  rocks  like  showers  of  shot  from  a 
fowling-piece. 

Mr.  Clippersteel  settled  with  his  lovely  wife 
in  the  city  of  Paleigh,  where  he  had  formerly 
resided,  and  the  murmurs  heard  in  that  family 
were  like  the  voice  of  a  sunlit  tide  embracing 
the  tinted  shells  of  the  shore  in  love. 

END  OP  THE  STORY. 


94  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 


CHAPTEE  VI. 

THE   WESTEKN    GATE-WAY    TO    THE   HIGHLANDS. 

The  East  Tennessee  and  "Western  North  Caro- 
lina Railroad,  which  is  more  generally  known  as 
the  Cranberry  Kailroad,  leads  through  one  of  the 
most  unique  and  beautiful  regions  in  America. 
The  first  ten  miles  of  this  admirable  narrow 
gauge,  extending  from  Johnson  City,  Tennessee, 
to  Elizabeth  town  of  the  same  State,  lies  through 
the  broad,  fertile  valley  of  the  lower  Watauga, 
a  country  productive  in  men  so  eloquent  as  to 
convert  the  very  language  of  common  life  into 
poetry. 

It  was  in  and  around  this  favored  spot  that 
Andrew  Johnson,  though  born  in  North  Caro- 
lina, began  that  political  career  that  crowned 
him  with  the  garlands  of  the  nation. 

Here  was  born  and  reared  Thomas  A.  R. 
Nelson,  the  able  jurist,  who,  soon  after  the  late 
rebellion,  wrote  the  prophetic  poem  on  East  Ten- 
nessee beginning  with  the  following  beautiful 
lines : 


THE  GRANDFATHER   MOUNTAIN,  95 


EAST   TENNESSEE. 

East  Tennessee !  secluded  land 

Of  gentle  hills  and  mountains  grand, 

Where  healthful  breezes  ever  blow, 

And  coolest  springs  and  rivers  flow ; 

AYhere  yellow  wheat  and  waving  corn 

Are  liberal  poured  from  plenty's  horn, — 

Land  of  the  valley  and  the  glen. 

Of  lovely  maids  and  stalwart  men ; 

Thy  gorgeous  sunsets  well  may  vie. 

In  splendor,  with  Italian  sky ; 

For,  gayest  colors  deck  the  clouds. 

As  night  the  dying  sun  enshrouds. 

And  heaven  itself  doth  wild  enfold 

Its  drapery  of  blue  and  gold. 

And,  pillowed  in  the  rosy  air. 

The  seraphs  well  might  gather  there. 

And,  in  the  rainbow-tinted  west, 

Be  lulled  by  their  own  songs  to  rest ! 

Thy  bracing  winter,  genial  spring. 
The  ruddy  glow  of  rapture  bring ; 
Thy  summer's  mild  and  grateful  heat. 
From  sweltering  suns  gives  cool  retreat ; 
While  frosty  autumn,  full  of  health, 
Fills  crib  and  barn  Avith  grainy  wealth. 
And  challenges  the  earth  to  dress 
Its  leaves  in  richer  loveliness ! 

Enchanting  land,  where  nature  showers 
Her  fairest  fruits  and  gaudiest  flowers; 
Where  stately  forests  wide  expand, 
Inviting  the  industrious  hand, 


96  THE  BALSAM  GBOVES   OF 

And  all  the  searching  eye  can  view 
Is  beautiful  and  useful,  too ; 
Who  knows  thee  well,  is  sure  to  love, 
Where'er  his  wandering  footsteps  rove, 
And  backward  ever  turns  to  thee, 
With  fond,  regretful  memory. 
Feeling  his  heart  impatient  burn  k 

Among  thy  mountains  to  return !  < 

In  this  fertile  valley  Colonels  Shelby  and 
Sevier  collected  and  marshalled  the  troops  with 
which  they  joined  Colonel  Campbell,  of  Vir- 
ginia, in  winning  the  glorious  victory  over  the 
British  at  King's  Mountain. 

Here  William  G.  Brownlow,  the  Fio^htino: 
Pastor,  preached,  and  at  the  same  time  ran  a 
forge  and  a  casting-furnace  on  the  Doe  Biver, 
only  a  few  miles  above  its  confluence  with  the 
Watauga,  just  below  Elizabethtown. 

At  his  forge  the  blacksmiths  purchased  a 
good  quality  of  wrought-iron,  from  which  they 
made  the  hoes,  harrows,  and  ploughs  of  the 
times ;  and  from  his  furnace,  which  was  simply 
a  primeval  manufactory  of  cooking  utensils,  the 
ladies  obtained  the  long-legged  black  iron  pots 
that  ornamented  the  broad,  anti-stove  hearth- 
stones of  East  Tennessee  homes. 

On  the  left  bank  of  the  Doe  Kiver,  within 

the  corporate  limits  of  Elizabethtown,  is  an  his- 
toric sycamore  that  is  destined  to  catch  the  eye 


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TEE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  97 

and  receive  the  touch  of  thousands  of  American 
citizens.  Its  branches  are  as  flourishing  as  the 
State  in  whose  soil  it  grows,  and  its  leaves  are 
fashioned  to  the  patterns  of  the  dallying  nooks 
in  the  rippling  stream,  to  whose  joyful  song 
they  dance  and  tremble.  Its  beautiful  bark, 
always  brightly  spotted  by  the  partial  dropping 
of  its  annual  incrustations,  looks  as  though  it 
were  mantled  in  the  robes  of  the  leopard.  Even 
its  parting  boughs  seem  to  have  been  passed 
through  the  cased  arms  of  skins  from  the  car- 
nivorous beast. 

Beneath  the  umbrageous  foliage  of  this  beauti- 
ful tree,  within  the  mirthful  sound  of  the  laugh- 
ing Doe  River,  where  every  breeze  was  sweet 
with  the  odor  of  neighboring  cedars,  Andrew 
Jackson  (Old  Hickory) ,  the  royal  hater  of  John 
Quincy  Adams,  held  the  first  Supreme  Court  ever 
convened  in  the  great  Commonwealth  of  Ten- 
nessee. 

Three   miles   below   the   place   of   the   great 

soldier's  sylvan  court  were  born  and  raised  the 

Taylor  brothers,  Bob  and  Alf,  who,  being  rival 

nominees  for  Governor  of  Tennessee   in  1886, 

reproduced  "  The  War  of  the  Bed  and  White 

Boses."     In  this   political   unique,  Bob  proved 

to  be  of  the  House  of  York,  even  for  a  second 

term,  and  the  House  of  Lancaster,  though  de- 
^      g  9 


98  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

feated  for  the  gubernatorial  chair,  has  since  been 
twice  elected  to  Congress. 

I  cannot  better  continue  my  description  of 
the  Watauga  Valley  than  by  quoting  the  mag- 
nanimous oration  which  Landen  C.  Haynes,  the 
maternal  uncle  of  the  Taylor  brothers,  delivered 
under  the  following  circumstances : 

At  a  grand  banquet  given  to  members  of  the 
bench  and  bar,  during  a  session  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  held  in  Jackson,  Tennessee,  soon  after  the 
war  between  the  States,  General  N.  B.  Forest 
arose  and  said :  "  Gentlemen,  I  propose  the  health 
of  the  eloquent  attorney  from  East  Tennessee" 
(turning  to  Haynes),  "  a  country  sometimes  called 
the  God- forsaken." 

Mr.  Haynes  responded  as  follows : 

"Mr.  Chairman  and  Gentlemen, — I  plead 
guilty  to  the  soft  impeachment.  I  was  born  in 
East  Tennessee,  on  the  banks  of  the  Watauga, 
which  in  the  Indian  vernacular  means  beautiful 
river,  and  a  beautiful  river  it  is.  I  have  stood 
upon  its  banks  in  my  childhood  and  looked 
down  through  its  glassy  waters,  and  have  seen 
a  heaven  below,  and  then  looked  uj)  and  beheld 
a  heaven  above,  reflecting,  like  two  vast  mirrors, 
each  in  the  other  its  moons  and  planets  and 
trembling  stars. 

"  Away  from  its  banks  of  rock  and  cliff,  hem- 


bo 


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THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  99 

lock  and  laurel,  pine  and  cedar,  stretches  a  vale 
back  to  the  distant  mountains  as  beautiful  and 
as  exquisite  as  any  in  Italy  or  Switzerland. 

"  There  stand  the  great  Unaka,  the  great  Roan, 
the  great  Blacks,  and  the  great  Smoky  Moun- 
tains, among  the  loftiest  in  America,  on  whose 
summits  the  clouds  gather  of  their  own  accord, 
even  on  the  brightest  day.  There  I  have  seen 
the  great  spirit  of  the  storm  after  noontide  go 
and  take  his  evening  nap  in  his  pavilion  of 
darkness  and  of  clouds. 

"  I  have  then  seen  him  aroused  at  midnight 
as  a  giant  refreshed  by  slumber  and  cover  the 
heavens  with  gloom  and  darkness,  have  seen 
him  awake  the  tempest  and  let  loose  the  red 
lightnings  that  ran  along  the  mountain-tops  for 
a  thousand  miles  swifter  than  an  eagle's  flight  in 
heaven. 

"  Then  I  have  seen  them  stand  up  and  dance, 
like  angels  of  light  in  the  clouds,  to  the  music 
of  that  grand  organ  of  nature,  whose  keys  seemed 
to  have  been  touched  by  the  fingers  of  the 
Divinity,  in  the  hall  of  eternity  that  responded 
in  notes  of  thunder  resounding  through  the 
universe. 

"Then  I  have  seen  the  darkness  drift  away 
beyond  the  horizon,  and  the  morn  get  up  from 
her  saffron  bed  like  a  queen,  put  on  her  robes 


100  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

of  liglit,  come  forth  from  her  palace  in  the  sun, 
and  *  stand  tiptoe  on  the  misty  mountain-top/ 
and  while  Night  fled  before  her  glorious  face 
to  his  bedchamber  at  the  pole  she  lighted  the 
green  vale  and  beautiful  river,  where  I  was 
born  and  played  in  childhood,  with  a  smile  of 
sunshine. 

"Oh,  beautiful  land  of  the  mountains  with 
thy  sun-painted  cliffs,  how  can  I  ever  forget 
thee !'' 

Mr.  Haynes  had  a  countenance  as  broad  and 
brilliant  as  the  land  of  his  birth,  and  a  voice  as 
sweet  and  musical  as  Watauga's  murmuring  tide. 
If  he  had  lived  in  the  days  of  Greek  or 
Koman  triumph,  and  had  displayed  his  silver- 
tongued  eloquence  at  the  foot  of  Helicon  or  in 
the  valley  of  the  Tiber,  his  countrymen  would 
have  dropped  a  wreath  of  glory  upon  his  brow 
and  proclaimed  him  first  of  the  nation. 

It  is  most  probable  that  he  had  never  seen 
the  great  evergreen  Grandfather,  through  whose 
ferny  filters  trickle  the  first  sparkling  stream- 
lets of  the  pellucid  river  that  he  immortalized, 
for  if  he  had  ever  beheld  its  beautiful  clouds 
shedding  their  vernal  showers  upon  the  myriads 
of  speckled  beauties  in  the  Watauga,  the  Elk, 
and  the  Linville,  or  "  looping  their  wind-swung 
folds"  around   the  giant  arms  of  the   majestic 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  101 

balsams  high  on  the  mountain-top,  he  would 
have  set  it  as  a  gem  in  the  exquisite  eulogy  on 
his  native  land. 

The  passenger-train  that  curls  its  column  of 
smoke  through  and  beyond  the  beautiful  vales 
of  the  Watauga  is  called  by  the  quaint  but 
appropriate  nomenclature  of  the  stem-winder, 
because,  in  winding  the  many  graceful  curves 
of  the  road  where  brooks  pouring  down  over 
the  rocks  throw  spray  in  at  the  windows,  and 
the  passing  gales  blossom  with  the  sweet  odors 
of  the  woods,  it  bears  a  marked  resemblance  to 
the  tempered  steel  of  a  time-keeper  in  playing 
its  part  within  the  glittering  gold  and  among 
the  intricate  movements  of  the  best  jewelled 
stem-winder  in  the  pocket  of  the  millionaire. 

Six  miles  above  Elizabethtown,  the  stem- 
winder  stops  at  Allentown,  a  handsome  station, 
where  the  "  Spring  Lake  Inn"  and  the  Hampton 
Hotel  are  situated  beside  a  clear  and  unusually 
voluminous  limestone  spring,  which  is  the  nearest 
calcareous  neighbor  to  the  free-stone  fountains 
of  the  Highlands. 

One  mile  beyond  Allentown,  the  iron  steed 
dashes  through  one  of  the  five  tunnels  on  the 
line,  and  bursts  into  a  grand  canyon  called  the 
Gorge.  Here  the  Doe  Eiver,  a  rumbling,  tum- 
bling, rollicking,  frolicking  stream,  in  dancing  and 

9* 


102  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

dallying  along  tlie  countless  ages  of  time,  has 
cut  its  way  down  through  the  Azoic  rocks  to 
the  depth  of  a  tliousand  feet,  and  so  nearly 
perpendicular  are  the  walls  on  either  side  that 
a  suspension  bridge  could  be  constructed,  with 
usual  decorum,  across  the  chasm  at  the  top. 
Through  this  unique  and  beautiful  gate-way  to 
the  Highlands  of  Western  North  Carolina,  the 
road-bed  has  been  prepared,  for  the  distance  of 
four  miles,  by  cutting  a  niche  out  of  the  rocks, 
about  fifty  feet  above  the  river,  on  the  left 
bank ;  and  as  the  stem-winder  "  wheels  its  dron- 
ing flight"  through  crag  and  canyon,  by  rushing 
ra]3ids  and  foaming  falls,  through  bracing  air 
and  views  sublime,  it  passes  by  great  towers  and 
walls,  and  temples,  and  cathedrals,  and  castles 
"  of  stone,  ornamented  with  spires  and  domes  and 
turrets  and  battlements,  and  enriched  with  a 
profusion  of  wild  pinks  that  grow  in  the  crevices 
and  impart  a  glowing  harmony  to  the  gray 
columns  and  23ilasters  and  obelisks  and  pinnacles 
and  porticos  of  stone  behind  them.  Passing 
this  colossal  structure  of  Nature's  masonry,  the 
stem-winder  follows  the  rumbling  waters  of  the 
Doe  to  Roan  Mountain  station  and  hotel,  which 
are  connected  by  a  hack  line  and  a  telephone 
with  Cloudland  Hotel,  twelve  miles  away  on  the 
bald  of  the  great  E-oan  Mountain. 


PARDEE'S     POINT,     IN     DOE     RIVER    GORGE. 
(from  a   Photogras>h   by   Nat.   W.   Taylor,    Elk   Park,    N.  C.) 


Page  I02. 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  103 

Leaving  the  banks  of  the  Doe,  the  train  winds 
through  the  alternating  valleys  and  ravines  of 
Shell  Creek,  crossing  the  State  line  and  con- 
tinuing two  miles  beyond  to  its  terminus,  where 
the  Cranberry  Iron  and  Coal  Co.  are  operating 
the  greatest  mine  of  magnetic  iron  ore  this  side  of 
cold,  piney  Sweden.  Such  are  the  agencies  that 
have  driven  the  crouching  panther  from  the 
Highlands,  and  the  rhododendron  blooms  that 
waved  over  his  lair  now  drop  their  crimson  23etals 
upon  the  heads  of  fair  men  and  maidens  who  sit 
beneath  the  shades  and  woo  the  sweet  flowers  to 
the  rescue  of  their  love-stricken  hearts. 

Returning  to  the  banks  of  the  Watauga,  we 
call  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  Bristol,  Eliza- 
bethtown,  and  North  Carolina  Kailroad  will  soon 
be  completed  to  the  last-named  town,  which 
renowned  and  historic  spot  has  recently  been 
purchased  as  the  site  for  a  co-operative  manu- 
facturing city.  Among  its  owners  are  a  num- 
ber of  the  wealthiest  and  most  influential  gentle- 
men in  America,  who  look  forward  to  the  early 
extension  of  railroads  from  Elizabethtown  and 
Johnson  City,  across  the  Blue  Bidge,  to  connect 
with  the  Bichmond  and  Danville  system  and 
other  lines  of  the  Atlantic  slope. 

The  completion  of  the  unfinished  link  in 
the  Charleston,  Cincinnati,  and  Chicago  between 


104  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

Johnson  City,  Tennessee,  and  Marion,  North 
Carolina,  is  anticipated  with  impatient  interest ; 
and  the  Cranberry  narrow  gauge  is  on  the  eve 
of  being  extended  across  the  fertile  Valley  of 
the  Linville,  and  then  along  beneath  the  frown- 
ing rocks  of  the  Grandfather  to  Lenoir ;  while 
the  Co-operative  Town  Company  dwell  with 
especial  emphasis  upon  the  continuation  of  the 
Bristol,  Elizabethtown,  and  North  Carolina  up 
the  Watauga  Valley,  through  the  region  of 
Mountain  City,  to  the  top  of  the  great  water- 
shed, and  thence  down  to  the  present  terminus 
of  the  Yadkin  Valley  road  at  Wilkesboro. 

With  implicit  faith  in  the  early  building  of  one 
or  all  of  these  connections,  our  friend,  the  Bard 
of  the  Highland,  has  presented  us  with  the  fol- 
lowing beautiful  production  of  his  genius : 


THE  lEON  HOESE  IS  COMmG. 

There's  news  on  the  wind,  'tis  wafted  from  the  shore 

Like  a  faint  voice  from  the  ocean's  mighty  roar; 

The  iron  horse  is  coming,  oh,  tell  it  once  more. 

On  the  Atlantic  coast  the  iron  horse  will  start, 

And  dash  through  the  mountains  like  a  winged  dart ; 

Throufi^h  the  old  ISTorth  State  and  the  State  of  Tennessee 

The  iron  horse  will  travel  and  travel  in  glee. 

Yes,  the  iron  horse  is  coming,  and  that's  good  news ; 

It  will  cure  hard  times  and  drive  away  the  blues. 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  105 

Awake  from  your  slumbers,  ye  good  mountaineers, 
You'll  hear  the  mighty  whistle  in  two  or  three  years ; 
Ring  the  bells  of  welcome,  let  your  cheers  go  round. 
Our  wealth  will  come  forth,  our  wealth  is  in  the  ground. 

What  a  resurrection  of  ores  to  the  sight ; 
And  our  gems  will  sparkle  like  stars  of  the  night. 
And  joy  will  kindle  in  the  good  farmer's  eye 
When  he  can  buy  so  cheap  and  can  sell  so  high. 
His  cabbage,  potatoes,  his  turnips  and  fruits. 
His  bacon,  beef,  butter  and  milk  from  his  brutes, 
His  cider  and  wine,  and  his  crout  in  his  kegs, 
His  honey  and  feathers  and  poultry  and  eggs, 
And  everything  he  grows,  his  grain  and  his  hay, 
Will  bring  good  prices,  and  prices  that  will  pay ; 
And  everything  he  buys  from  a  railroad  store 
Will  come  much  lower  than  he  ever  bought  before : 
His  clothing  and  coffee,  his  sugar  and  flour, 
Will  all  testify  to  the  iron  horse's  power. 
And  all  the  day  long,  through  the  hot  summer  days, 
While  out  in  the  field,  'neath  the  sun's  burning  rays. 
The  farmer  will  whistle  the  iron  horse's  praise. 
And  in  front  of  his  door  the  bird  in  her  bower 
Will  tune  her  sweet  lays  to  the  iron  horse's  power; 
How  the  merchant  will  smile  when  the  railroad  comes 
And  brings  cheaper  goods  to  his  customers'  homes; 
When  he  gets  connected  with  the  business  world, 
He'll  hang  out  his  sign  like  a  flag  unfurled : 
"  Come  one  and  all,  great  and  small,  rich  and  poor, 
Everything  is  first-class  in  my  railroad  store." 
And  the  laboring  man,  the  abused  of  the  earth, 
By  cheap  labor  kept  poor,  and  poor  from  his  birth, 
The  only  man  that  knows  what  money  is  worth. 
Can  rejoice  when  he  hears  the  iron  horse  neigh : 


106  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

"  One  dollar  instead  of  fifty  cents  a  day." 

The  iron  horse  is  coming,  he's  a  steed  that's  fleet, 

He'll  trample  hard  times  'neath  his  great  iron  feet. 

Methiiiks  I  hear  the  train  dashing  o'er  the  plain, 

Eoaring  and  thundering  like  the  mighty  main. 

On  through  Carolina's  undulating  hills, 

Xow  through  the  deep  cuts  and  now  along  the  fills, 

Across  each  swamp  and  river  by  trestle  or  bridge. 

And  on  to  the  foot-hills  of  the  great  Blue  Eidge, 

And  panting  and  climbing  and  leaping  its  spurs, 

And  fretting  and  foaming  in  his  cast-iron  gears. 

And  snorting  and  groaning  his  burden  to  bear, 

And  prancing  and  puffing  and  snuffing  the  air. 

At  length  he  reaches  the  top  of  the  mountain. 

And  slakes  his  thirst  in  a  cold  crystal  fountain ; 

Nor  ever  did  steed  of  iron  or  of  flesh 

Quaff  water  from  a  stream  more  cooling  and  fresh  ; 

Nor  ever  did  hills  that  echoed  to  thunder, 

Present  more  romance  and  grandeur  and  wonder. 

On  dashes  the  steed  as  fast  as  a  pigeon 

Through  a  rugged,  rich,  and  beautiful  region ; 

And  the  passengers  glance  with  wonder-bleared  eye 

At  the  hill-strewn  landscapes,  as  backward  they  fly, 

That  deck  so  profusely  this  land  of  the  sky. 

The  steed  dashes  on  with  thrilling  locomotion, 

Piling  up  mountains  'tween  him  and  the  ocean  ; 

And  the  breath  from  his  nostrils  rolls  back  on  the  air, 

And  hangs  like  a  cloud  quite  pensively  there. 

Or  shoots  up  a  column  all  curling  and  black. 

That  winds  like  a  serpent  far  over  the  track. 

On  dashes  the  steed  as  fast  as  he  can  run. 

His  head-light  gleaming  like  the  noonday  sun. 

Through  forests  unmeasured,  trees  without  number, 

Millions  of  trees  made  a-purpose  for  lumber. 


TEE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIK  107 

And  now  the  iron  wheels  clank  and  clatter  and  roar 

And  press  the  rich  beds  of  East  Tennessee  ore. 

In  the  county  of  Johnson,  where  the  steed  now  runs, 

The  hills  are  swollen  with  millions  of  tons. 

What  wealth  has  slept  since  the  dawn  of  creation, 

Awaiting  the  hand  of  this  generation! 

Awake  from  your  slumbers,  ye  good  mountaineers, 

You'll  hear  the  mighty  whistle  in  two  or  three  years ', 

Eing  the  bells  of  welcome,  let  your  cheers  go  round, 

Our  wealth  will  come  forth,  our  wealth  is  in  the  ground. 


RICHMOND  AND  DANyiLLE 


RAILROAD. 


-m 


THE    GREAT    THROUGH    CAR    LINE 

BETWEEN  THE 

NORTH,   SOUTH,   EAST,  WEST, 

AND 

SOUTH-WEST. 


The  Highest  Standard  of  Passenger  Service. 
Through  Trains,  Quick  Time,  and  Sure  Connections 

TO   AND    FROM    EASTERN    CITIES 

AND 

"THE  LAND  OF  THE  SKY." 


The  Scenery  in  the  Mountains  of  Western  North  Carolina  is 
Unsurpassed.  Highest  Peaks  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  They 
have  a  Ruggedness  and  Grandeur  not  possessed  by  any  other 
Mountains  in  the  Eastern  States. 

108 


The  Greatest  Summer  and  Winter 

Resorts 

to  be  found  in  the  Union  are  in  this  section  of 
''THK     OLD     NORXH     STAXK." 


Ample  Hotel  Accommodations  and  every  Convenience  and  Luxury 
are  to  be  had  at  the  Various  Resorts  along  the  Lines  of  the  RICH- 
MOND AND  DANVILLE  RAILROAD,  and  are  easily  reached. 


SOLID    PULLMAN    TRAINS 

AND  THROUGH  PULLMAN  CARS  TO  AND  FROM 

ALL    RESORT    POINTS. 


The  Great  V/ashington  and  South-Western  Vestibuled  Limited 
is  the  Most  Magnificent  Train,  and  via  the  SHORTEST  ROUTE 
FROM  THE  GREAT  NORTH  TO  THE  NEVv^  SOUTH. 

See  that  your  Tickets  read  via  the 


NO  EXTRA  CHARGE  FOR  FAST  TIME. 


For  full  information  in  regard  to  Schedules,  Maps,  Time-Tables, 
etc.,  apply  to  any  Agent  of  the  System,  or  address 

JAS.  L.  TAYLOR,  G.P.A.,  W.  A.  TURK,  A.G.P.A. 

ATLANTA,  GA.  CHARLOTTE,  N.C. 


W.  H.  GREEN,  G.A/.,  SOL.  HAAS,  T.M., 

109 


ATLANTA,  GA.  ATLANTA,  GA. 


110  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 


CHAPTEE  VII. 

THE  HOTELS  IN  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SKY. 

One  mile  below  Cranberry  on  the  narrow- 
gauge  is  the  thriving  town  of  Elk  Park,  where 
scores  of  health-  and  pleasure-seekers  dismount 
from  the  iron  horse.  Here  comfortable  board 
can  be  had  at  the  Banner  House,  the  Bowers 
House,  or  the  Walsh  Hotel,  for  one  dollar  a  day, 
with  reasonable  reductions  for  longer  periods. 
But  if  more  costly  fare  is  desired  it  will  be  found 
at  the  elegant  cottage  of  Nat.  W.  Taylor,  brother 
to  Robert  L.  Taylor,  ex-governor  of  Tennessee. 
This  gentleman  not  only  keej)s  first-class  ac- 
commodations, but,  being  a  professional  artist  and 
photographer,  he  invites  his  guest  to  patronage 
in  that  line,  and  offers  for  sale  a  stock  of  beauti- 
ful views  photographed  from  the  most  interesting 
mountain  objects. 

Two  miles  south  of  Elk  Park  is  the  summit 
of  Hump  Mountain,  five  thousand  five  hundred 
and  forty-one  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea, 


THE  GEAKDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  HI 

while  the  same  distance  north  of  the  town  the 
beautiful  Falls  of  Elk  have  a  clear  leap  of  sixty- 
three  feet  into  a  deep,  seething  caldron. 

Eight  miles  northeast  from  our  present  rail- 
road landing,  by  way  of  a  new  and  beautiful 
mountain  road,  is, — 

Fair  Banner  Elk,  tlie  Highland  flower, 
With  warbling  birds  in  many  a  bower, 
And  valleys  sweet  with  new  mown  hay, 
And  pastured  hills  where  cattle  lay. 

Its  laughing  cascades  foaming  white. 
Its  speckled  trout  in-  waters  bright ; 
O'er  dallying  pools  and  dancing  nooks 
The  sportsman  plies  the  feathered  hooks. 

Here  are  no  hotels,  but  at  the  farm-house  of 
Mrs.  Patsey  H.  Witmore,  the  combined  store- 
house and  dwelling  of  R.  L.  Lowe,  Esq.,  and  at 
the  author's  Shonnyhaw  cottage,  tourists  are  in- 
vited to  spring  beds,  and  to  tables  heavily  laden 
with  such  food  as  roasted  mutton,  yeast  bread, 
biscuits  and  corn  bread,  unskimmed  sweet  milk, 
and  sour  milk  just  from  the  churn,  coffee,  fried 
or  boiled  swine's  ham,  buckwheat  cakes  and 
maple  syrup,  fresh  butter,  chicken  and  eggs, 
vegetables,  honey,  jellies,  jams,  preserves,  pickles, 
speckled  trout,  and,  last  of  all,  turnip  salad,  of 
which  the  Irishman  said  "  that  he  had  come  all 


112  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

the  way  from  '  Auld  Ireland/  just  to  eat  broad 
grass  like  a  cow." 

For  board  on  Banner  Elk  tlie  terms  are  one 
<lollar  a  day,  six  dollars  a  week,  and  twenty 
dollars  a  month. 

Standing  around  this  sequestered  valley  in  re- 
posing grandeur,  and  representing  the  corners 
of  a  triangle,  are  three  mountain  princes,  viz., 
the  Hanging  E-ock,  the  Sugar,  and  the  Beech,  all 
of  which  are  more  than  five  thousand  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea. 

The  overtopping  Beech  is  crowned  with  an 
imposing  pinnacle,  w^hich,  being  cleft  in  the  cen- 
tre, presents  a  double  front,  of  which  one  side  is 
called  the  Boc's  Egg,  because  it  is  supposed  to 
resemble  the  egg  of  the  roc,  the  monstrous  bird 
of  Arabian  mythology. 

Looking  half  a  mile  west  from  this  hard- 
shelled  production  of  the  mythical  species,  the 
tall  Bider's  Bock  rises  before  the  observer,  and 
presents  him  with  the  exquisite  picture  of  a 
horse  and  rider  embroidered  of  ferns  and  lichens 
upon  its  face. 

The  entire  mountain,  with  his  cliffs  and  pinna- 
cles, faces  the  south,  and  ever  casts  his  adamant- 
ine smile  upon  the  emerald  valley  of  Banner 
Elk  and  its  tributary,  shy  Shonnyhaw ;  while, 
looking  still  beyond  through  the  vista  between 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  113 

the  Sugar  and  the  Hanging  Rock,  he  beholds 
the  great  evergreen  Grandfather  bulging  his 
cap  of  clouds  to  the  sun. 

From  the  very  summit  of  the  Beech,  the  land 
sloping  northward  was  rendered  bald  in  1890 
by  the  use  of  two  axes,  of  which  one  was  wielded 
by  the  writer  of  this  little  volume,  while  the 
other  was  manned  by  a  Baltimore  bard,  who 
signs  his  name  "  Chuckey  Joe." 

The  spot  thus  divested  of  trees  is  grown  over 
with  an  indigenous  grass  of  such  a  profuse  and 
lustrous  green  that  the  sight-seer  can  scarcely 
refrain  from  lying  down  and  rolling  on  the  cosey 
carpet  beneath  him. 

So  majestic  are  the  rocks  of  the  Beech,  and 
so  glorious  the  panorama  which  they  command, 
that  Chuckey  Joe,  who  named  the  Bider's  Bock 
and  the  Boc's  Egg,  and  assisted  in  creating  the 
Bald  of  the  Beech,  has  seen  fit  to  poetize  as 
follows : 

THE   BALLAD   OF   THE   "BEECH." 

DEDICATED   TO   THE   LITTLE  "  BALD"  OF   THE    BIG  "  BEECH," 
BY   HUGGER   AND   DUGGER,    SPONSORS. 

{The  little  ''Bald''  was  born  August  23, 1890.) 

That  I'm  as  "  old  as  the  hills,''  every  one  must  confess ; 
Being  a  "  mountain,"  you  see,  I  could  hardly  be  less; 
But,  somehow,  yonder  "  Grandfather,"  say  what  I  will, 
In  spite  of  my  "  ages,"  "  gets  the  age  on  me,"still. 
A  10* 


114  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

Yet  we  grew  up  together :  when  the  Record  begins, 
Some  score  thousand  years  back,  we  were  brothers  and 

twins ; 
He  stuck  to  the  "  Blue  Ridge,"  and  I  to  the  "  Stone ;" 
And  if  he  claims  the  "Linville,"  why  the  "Elk"  is  my 

own. 

True  legions  of  "  Low-landers"  pray  at  Ms  shrine, 
Whilst  only  rare  Ramblers  offer  incense  at  mine ; 
Yet  these  "  Summer-ers"  claim  to  be  civilized  folk 
With  Vi  passion  for  "peaks,"  but  that's  surely  a  joke; 
For  if  "culture"  they  long  for  in  fact,  not  in  fun, — 
Let  them  note, — I've  ten  farms  to  the  Grandfather's  one; 
And  if  corn,  clover,  and  cabbages,  buckwheat  and  beans, 
Ain't  "culture,"  just  explain  what  the  hull  of  it  means? 

But  as  I  said  sooner,  "Inconsistency's  cheap!" 

If  you've  ever  been  too oV d  yourself — don't  laugh  at  sheep. 

You-uns  claim  culture,  and  polish,  and  taste,  and  sich 

"  stuff," 
Yet  you  worship  the  "  G-randad"  for  being  a  "rough." 
I  can't  for  the  life  of  me  (and  my  life  is  long), 
See   why  the  "  Grandfather"   should   have   the   whole 

throng 
Lauding  "  Him"  to  the  skies,  whilst  the  "  Beech,"  though 

begotten 
In  Brotherhood  with  him,  seems  almost  forgotten. 

I've  been  puzzling  my  pate  ('tis  no  soft  one,  you  bet !), 
Why  the  "  G.  F.,"  you  see,  should  become  such  a  pet ; 
No  doubt  "  Kelsey's  curves"  up  his  slopes  air  big  help, 
But  if  he  is  a  "  lion,"  the  "  Big  Beech"  is  no  whelp. 
If  he  has  his  "  Balsams,"  I  have  samples  as  good 
As  on  Yonahlossee's  top  ever  have  stood ; 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  115 

And  Ms  "  Knuckles"  could  never  knock  down  my  "  Eoc's 

Egg," 
Kor  his  "  Raven  Rock"  lower  my  "  Rider"  one  peg. 


That  a  Mountain  his  own  "  faults"  should  oft  overlook 

Is  quite  logical  (vid.  any  Geo-logical  book) ; 

Nor  could  you  expect  any  "  Bump"  of  my  size 

To  "  lie  low"  when  even  "  The  Hump,"  humps  Ms-self 

for  the  prize. 
I  can  play  a  "  hlxiff  game"  as  my  "  pinnacles"  tell, 
An&  fifty -five  hundred  feet  is  (I  swear  it)  a  "  swell ;" 
But  what  sot  me  back  when  the  "Boss  Bumps"  were 

called, 
Was,  they  thought  me  a  mere  "  Boy"  because  I  warn't 

"  bald." 

There  are  acres  of  much  bigger  halds,  say  the  Finical, 
But  I'm  sure  you'd  discover  "  fine  points"  on  my  "  Pin- 
nacle ;" 
Gray  crags,  with  a  few  laurel  clumps,  or  an  ash ; 
And  belted  round  these,  like  an  emerald  sash, 
A    greensward,    where    my    choicest    "  Rhododendron 

Yaseyi" 
Can  flaunt  their  fair  flowers  to  the  sun  and  the  sky : 
And  "Rain-roosts"  I  have,  too; — jow  could  hardly  find 

better  ones 
To  keep   dry  your  "  dry  goods"   if  you   woii't  all   be 
"wetter  'uns." 

IsTow  I  hope  you-uns  Hll  visit  my  lately  born  "  Bald :" 
It  'tain't  like  the  "  Blood  Camp's,"  a  mere  "  fire  scall'd," 
Nor  like  "the  Humps"  "deadening." 

Though  thickening,  you  saw 
Leagues  of  leafage  from  "Poga"  to  shy  "Shonnyhaw" 


116  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

In  woodlands  extending ;  just — drop  up ;  let  your  eyes 
See  my  bonny  bare  "  Bald"  spread  itself  to  the  skies, 
Like  a  garden  from  Eden  just  recently  snatched, 
And  with  all  of  the  "  latest  improvements  attached." 

THE  PANOEAMA.  ^ 

See !  from  "  cloud-land's"  white  walls  on  the  dark  "  Eainy 

Eoan" 
To  where  the  "Black's"  "Mitchell"  as  monarch   en- 
throne ; 
Nay,  further, — to  where  "  Craggy's"  far  tilted  crest, 
And  dim  "  Yeates"  and  domed  "  Ogle"  shine  pale  in  the 

west. 
From  "  Chimney-top"  over  fair  Tennessee's  lines 
To  where  "  White  Top's"  long  "  bald"  like  a  scimitar 

shines ; 
From  "  Iron,"  less  distant,  rising  softly  by  inches 
Beyond  Abingdon  look  where  the  gate  of  the  "  Clinch" 

is! 
From  the  "Snake"  and  the  "Elk,"  and  the  "Bluff's" 

dimmer  blue, 
To  "  Blowing  Eock's"  crags,  and  Boone  almost  in  view  I 
Mark  the  "  Devil's  Claw"  under  the  bold  "  Hanging 

EOCK," 

And  the  "  Cloven  Cliff's"  crags,  that  seem  almost  to 
mock 

The  "  OrRANDFATHER,"  jutting  up  Under  his  "Nose." 

(Ah!  when  he  "catches  cold,"  you  can  look  out  for 
"blows!") 

Then  see  "Flat  Top,"  "Sugar's"  bluff,  and  the  "Nee- 
dles" not  far. 

And  the  "Table's"  dark  cliff  and  the  "Hawkbill's" 
dim  scar.  • 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  117 

Tender's  "Jonas'  Bald  Ground,"  and  the  "North  Cove" 

slopes  there 
With  his  marble  cliffs  under  the  wild,  "Winding  Stair." 
Far  distant,  lifting  southward  his  faded  blue  cap. 
See  "Old  Bald,"  once  the  "Shaky"  of  "Hickory-Nut 

Gap  ;" 
Nay, — even  beyond  these,  blue  as  some  distant  Zion, 
Mark  "  Saludas"  soft  slopes  'neath  the  blue  tent  of 

"  Tryon." 
From  the  "Clinch"  to  where  "  Chuckey"  and  "Tennes- 
see" meet, 
There  lies  a  broad,  beautiful  world  at  your  feet ; 
Extending  from  where  eastward  rises  "Pilot's"  dim  crest 
To  the  "  CuMBERLANDs"  fading  afar  in  the  west. 
No  fairer  land  surely  than  this,  where  the  hills 
Are  feathered  with  forests  and  braided  with  rills ! 
See !  under  us  "  Shonnyhaw"  dances  and  dallies. 
And  "  Elk"  in  white  arms  holds  a  score  of  my  valleys. 
Oh,  come !  from  my  laurel-crown'd  throne,  feast  your  eyes 
On  the  greenest  of  lands,  'neath  the  bluest  of  skies! 
Where  "  Enohla's"  white  cascades  flash  out  like  a  mist, 
There  are  blooms  to  be  cull'd — there  are  maids  to  be 

kissed : 
And  "  Banner's  Elk"  bravely  and  broadly  extends 
A  summery  Welcome  to  hosts  of  warm  friends . 

Chuckey  Joe. 

"CHEEOKEE   CHIPS." 

BY   THE    "pathfinder." 

Seenoyahs,   or    the    Mountains   of   Night,    are   "The 

Blacks." 
The  Great  Estetoe  Mountain  is  in  the  Vulgate^  "  Bright's 

Yaller." 


118  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

Ej^unayrock    (Panther   Skin,    Tusc.)  is    White    Top, 
Yirga. 

YoNAHLOssEE  (the  Passing  Bear)  is  the  Grandfather 
Mountain. 

Yanassa  (Bnffalo)  is  the  Iron  Mountain  Eange,  long 
and  unlovely. 

The  Wahaw  are  the  South  Mountains,  south  of  Mor- 
ganton.  North  Carolina. 

Chotah  is  the  "  Bluff  of  the  Peak"  or  Cloven  Cliff. 

"Wanteska  (Level  Land)  is  Flat  Top  of  Linville. 

Kullahsayja  (Sugar)  is  Sugar  Mountain  of  Banner's 
Elk,  North  Carolina. 

Zehleeka  is  the  French  Broad  Eiver. 

Yonawayah  (Bear  Paw)  is  the  Hanging  Eock  of  Ban- 
ner's Elk. 

Klonteska  (Pheasant)  is  Big  Beech  of  Banner's  Elk. 

The  Sakonegas  (Blue)  is  the  Blue  Eidge  Eange. 

Skolanetta  is  the  Hump,  near  Cranberry,  North  Caro- 
lina. 

Ottaray  is  the  Cherokee  (now  obsolete)  name  of  old  for 
their  Highlands  in  North  Carolina. 

The  EsEEOLA  Mountains,  follow  the  left  bank  of  the 
Linville  Eiver,  south  of  Linville  City,  ending  with 
Short  Off,  below  the  Table. 

Chuckey  Joe. 

CRANBEKRY. 

Between  Elk  Park  and  tlie  Cranberry  mines 
the  stem-winder  stops  to  let  passengers  oflf  at 
the  Cranberry  Hotel,  a  perfect  gem  of  a  house, 
which  Mr.  Wallace  Hahn,  the  proprietor,  keeps 
in  the  style  of  a  delightful  country  home. 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  119 

Along  its  approaches  and  around  its  copious 
verandas  the  most  beautiful  flowers  are  clumped 
and  clustered  upon  a  verdant  lawn,  while  the 
commodious  apartments  within  are  furnished 
with  every  modern  convenience,  and  the  dining- 
hall  is  rich  with  the  aromatic  contents  of  plenty's 
horn. 

At  the  mines  you  can  get  a  square  meal  for 
fifty  cents,  and  a  day's  board  and  lodging  for  one 
dollar  and  fifty  cents,  at  the  Mitchell  House. 

Persons  who  stop  at  Cranberry  to  see  the  inex- 
haustible deposit  of  magnetic  ore  and  its  sur- 
rounding objects  of  interest,  will  lose  the  jewel 
of  their  sojourn  if  they  fail  to  visit  Colonel  C. 
H.  Nimson's  Bellevue  farm,  three  miles  distant, 
on  top  of  Fork  Mountain,  where  the  si^lendor  of 
the  prospect  is  all  that  the  name  suggests, — 

"And  harmless  shepherds  tune  their  pipes  to  love, 
And  Amaryllis  sounds  in  ev'ry  grove." 

LINVILLE. 

Mr.  S.  T.  Kelsey,  the  general  manager  of  the 
Linville  Improvement  Co.,  is  at  once  a  philoso- 
pher and  engineer,  a  botanist  and  a  scholar. 
His  neatly-proportioned  person  is  a  little  smaller 
than  that  of  the  average  man,  and  from  beneath 
his  brim  peeps,  in  cunning  brilliancy,  a  pair  of 


120  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

small,  keen,  penetrating,  expressive  blue  eyes, 
which  everybody  takes  for  black  until  they  are 
otherwise  informed. 

His  long  beard,  that  would  do  honor  to  the 
days  of  Moses,  falling  gracefully  upon  his  bosom, 
is  clean  and  white  as  the  snow.  His  hair  is  of  a 
solid,  rich,  glossy  cream  color,  while  a  few  black 
streamers  in  his  moustache,  interspersing  the 
white,  are  his  only  souvenir  filaments  of  middle 
life. 

These  hoary  locks,  on  a  head  of  only  sixty 
summers,  evince  a  life  of  the  most  stirring  ac- 
tivity both  in  body  and  mind,  and  still  he  pos- 
sesses the  sprightliness  and  energy  of  the  most 
enterprising  man  of  thirty. 

This  gentleman  has  placed  such  a  sterling 
stamp  upon  his  section  of  the  country  by  laying 
out  and  building  the  most  elegant  drives  in  the 
Highlands,  that  Chuckey  Joe  has  passed  upon 
him  the  most  magnanimous  pun  we  ever  heard, 
— he  calls  him  "  The  Colossus  of  Rhodes." 

One  of  Mr.  Kelsey's  roads,  leading  from  Cran- 
berry, twelve  miles  eastward,  to  Linville,  is  util- 
ized by  a  daily  hack  from  the  latter  place,  and, 
as  the  wheels  drone  along  and  you  have  your 
fish-basket  on  your  back  and  your  spouse  by 
your  side,  the  old  road,  which  the  new  one  often 
crosses,  looks  like  the  deserted  trail  of  a  savage 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  121 

tribe  that  had  fled  before  civilization  to  an  unmo- 
lested hunting-ground. 

Six  miles  on  the  way  you  come  to  the  "  Old 
Fields  of  Toe/'  an  ante-rebellion  muster-ground, 
where  you  cross  the  Toe  River.  The  name  Toe, 
as  here  applied,  originated  as  follows : 

Estetoe,  a  chief's  daughter,  was  engaged  to  a 
young  man  of  the  tribe,  and,  when  her  father 
objected  to  the  marriage,  she  drowned  herself  in 
the  clear  stream,  which  the  Indians  afterwards 
called  by  her  name ;  but  the  whites,  being  too 
lazy  to  hinge  their  tongues  upon  the  silvery 
accents,  changed  the  euphonious  word  to  Toe, 
which  can  mean  no  more  than  one  of  those 
miserable  corn-bearing  extremities  that  had  all 
the  rhetoric  frozen  out  of  them  before  the  dis- 
covery of  Columbus. 

Leaving  the  banks  of  the  Estetoe,  four  miles 
further  takes  you  to  Montezuma,  the  "  preacher's 
Mecca,"  where  the  sacred  dust  of  a  revolutionary 
soldier,  whose  name  was  Gragg,  sleeps  in  the 
town  cemetery  ;  and  Mr.  John  Carpenter  will 
give  you  a  square  dinner,  an  oblong  supper,  a 
good  bed,  and  a  breakfast  fashioned  after  any 
geometrical  figure  within  the  annals  of  the 
higher  mathematics,  all  for  one  dollar. 

Two  miles  beyond  Montezuma  you  roll  into 

Linville,  where  Mr.  Thomas  F.  Parker,  Presi- 

V  n 


122  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

dent  of  the  Liuville  Improvement  Co.,  has 
a  number  of  elegant  cottages,  whose  exquisite 
paintings  and  architectural  designs  thoroughly 
compensate  the  beautiful  forest  for  that  part  of 
its  destruction  which  gives  them  room. 

But  the  most  commodious  building  in  the 
town  is  Eseeola  Inn,  a  chimney-topped,  shingle- 
gabled,  and  verandad  edifice,  where  the  summer 
nights  are  rendered  comfortable  by  the  blazing 
logs  of  many  open  fire-places,  and  the  days  are 
cheerful  with  a  health-giving  tide  of  sweet  air 
that  floats  through  the  balanced  windows  and 
gives  '^  back  the  invalid  the  rose  to  his  cheek." 
O23j)osite  the  oflSce  on  the  first  floor  is  a  large 
music-room,  which  is  beautifully  finished  in 
native  hard  woods,  lighted  with  brilHant  chan- 
deliers, ornamented  with  a  sweet-toned  piano, 
and,  having  a  floor  as  hard  as  lignumvitae  and 
as  slick  as  a  peeled  onion,  furnishes  the  finest 
facilities  for  tripping  the  fantastic  toe. 

When  your  feet  have  grown  tired  of  waltzing, 
Morpheus  folds  you  in  his  peaceful  arms  and 
lays  you  where  the  ease  of  s|)ring-beds  and  the 
soft  touches  of  downy  pillows  give  the  weary 
rest. 

Three  thousand  years  ago  Solomon  said : 
"  There  is  nothing  new  under  the  sun ;"  but  if 
he  could  come  back  to  this  world  and  engage 


m 
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THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN,  123 

board  at  Eseeola  Inn,  lie  would  find  that  some- 
thing new  has  been  invented ;  for  he  could  hol- 
low "  halloo"  in  a  telej^hone  and  receive  an 
answer  from  a  social-minded  fellow  in  the  tele- 
phone ofl&ce  over  at  Cranberry,  and  he  could 
chalk  his  cue  and  try  his  luck  on  a  billiard- 
ball,  like  which  no  rotary  object  ever  revolu- 
tionized across  a  rectangular  game-table  in  the 
city  of  Jerusalem. 

This  splendid  building  has  hot  and  cold  baths, 
smoking  and  reception  rooms,  broad  stairways 
of  easy  ascent,  carpeted  rooms  and  hall-ways, 
marble-topped  office  counters,  extensive  piazzas 
for  promenades,  and  a  beautiful  dining-room, 
whose  sumptuary  ingatherings  are  guaranteed 
by  the  proprietors  to  be  equal,  if  not  superior, 
to  those  of  any  other  house  in  the  mountains 
of  North  Carolina. 

Such  is  the  variety  and  flavor  of  the  food  that, 
when  you  place  your  foot  on  the  threshold  of  the 
masticating  department,  your  nasal  proboscis  is 
greeted  with  the  aroma  of  roasted  mutton  or 
beef,  and  the  alimentary  pupils  of  your  orbicular 
instruments  are  fixed  upon  large  slabs  of  comb 
honey,  consisting  of  the  gathered  sweets  from 
mountain  flowers,  and  rivalling  in  delicacy  the 
nectar  of  the  gods. 

Among  the  delicious  dishes  of  Eseeola's  tables 


124  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

is  pure  maple  syrup,  manufactured  from  maple 
orchards  on  the  Company's  lands,  and  those 
popular  mountain  batter-cakes,  made  from  that 
peculiarly-shaped  grain,  about  which  a  lady  re- 
cently interrogated  a  gentleman,  as  follows : 

"  Kind  sir,"  said  she,  "  do  you  know  how 
buckwheat  came  into  this  country  ?" 

"  No,  madam,"  replied  the  man ;  "  but  I  will 
thank  you  for  any  information  you  may  give  me 
on  that  point." 

"  Well,  sir,"  said  the  lady,  "  I  will  tell  you. 
It  came  into  this  country  three-cornered." 

Mr.  James  T.  Skiles,  former  popular  man- 
ager of  Luray  Inn,  Virginia,  solicits  patron- 
age at  Eseeola,  at  the  rates  of  two  dollars  a 
day,  ten  dollars  a  week,  and  thirty-two  dollars  a 
month. 

An  object  of  great  attraction,  only  one  mile 
from  Linville,  is  Mr.  Harlan  P.  Kelsey's  ex- 
pansive nursery  of  native  ornamental  plants, 
shrubs,  and  trees,  and  when  you  visit  this  mani- 
fold collection  from  the  universal  garden  of 
nature,  you  will  be  surprised  that  our  American 
parks,  cemeteries,  and  lawns  have  been  stuffed 
with  costly  foreign  importations,  while  the  beau- 
tiful orchids,  ferns,  blooming  vines,  flowering 
shrubs,  perennial  herbs,  aquatic  and  bog  plants, 
and  evergreen  and  deciduous  trees  of  the  South- 


p 


VASE    WITH     RHODODENDRON     AND    AZALEA. 


Page  125. 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  125 

ern  Alleghany  Mountains  have,  until  recently, 
been  almost  entirely  excluded. 

From  this  beautiful  plantation  of  shrubs, 
plants,  and  infant  trees,  Mr.  George  H.  Vander- 
bilt  has  purchased  thousands  of  the  hardy  orna- 
mentals that  adorn  his  masfnificent  estate  near 
Asheville;  while  gardens  and  boulevards  in 
England,  Germany,  Holland,  Ireland,  Italy, 
Belgium,  and  other  foreign  countries,  are  now 
variegated  with  American  flora  from  this  new 
and  highly  commendable  enterprise  upon  the 
banks  of  the  jubilant  Linville. 

Mr.  E.  S.  Eand  has  truthfully  said :  "  We  do 
not  api^reciate  our  American  flora,  and  have 
shut  our  eyes  to  the  richness  that  lies  all  around 
us.  In  England,  a  crowning  glory  of  horticult- 
ural exhibition  is  the  show  of  American  plants ; 
and  we  in  America  don't  know  what  they  are." 

Twelve  miles  down  the  stream,  from  Eseeola, 
passing  tlie  Highland  Nursery  and  the  beauti- 
ful farm  and  mansion  of  George  R.  Watkins,  is 
Linville  Falls,  where  comfortable  board  can  be 
had  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Theodore  Franklin  at 
twenty-five  cents  a  meal,  or  one  dollar  a  day. 

THE   YONAHLOSSEE   EOAD. 

From  Linville,  it  is  twenty  miles  east  to  Blow- 
ing Kock,  which  is  not  only  one  of  the  most 

11* 


126  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

popular  summer  resorts  in  the  Soutli,  but  also 
a  handsome  town,  two  miles  long,  on  the  very 
crest  of  the  Blue  Kidge ;  and  if  more  of  the 
buildings  were  painted  white,  it  would  be  a 
modern  Alba  Longa. 

Mr.  8.  T.  Kelsey,  the  Colossus  of  Rhodes, 
has  recently  connected  these  two  places  by  the 
grandest  drive  in  the  State,  which,  being  chiselled 
out  of  the  rocks  along  the  south  side  of  the 
Grandfather  Mountain,  cost  multiplied  thousands 
of  dollars.  Its  finish  is  as  smooth  as  the  rim  of 
a  chariot- wheel,  while  the  region  through  which  it 
passes  is  as  rugged  as  if  Vulcan's  mighty  anvils 
had  been  thrown  from  the  throttle  of  a  volcano 
and  lodged  on  the  mountain-side.  High  up  the 
imposing  crags  the  eye  is  directed  into  great 
dark  holes  and  hollows  that  Sol's  rays  have 
never  penetrated ;  but  in  the  ojDposite  direction, 
the  expansive  view  is  extended  far  into  the  blue 
haze  of  the  sunny  South. 

About  midway  between  Blowing  Rock  and 
Linville,  where  the  daily  hack  from  the  latter 
place  crosses  Green  Mountain  Creek,  a  beau- 
tiful fall,  twelve  feet  high,  is  so  close  on  the 
upper  side  as  to  throw  spray  upon  the  dry- 
goods  of  the  passers-by,  while  immediately 
below  the  road,  the  stream  has  a  leap  that  is 
more    than    twice    as    high   as    the    first,  and 


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THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN:  127 

equally  enhanced  in   the  other   features  of  its 
attractions. 

Five  miles  from  Linville,  and  just  above  the  ele- 
gant highway  where  it  is  crossed  by  a  tumbling 
creek,  is  the  Leaning  Bock,  about  one  hundred 
feet  high,  consisting  of  three  truncated  blocks 
of  stone  set  one  upon  another,  the  first  tapering 
gradually  upward  from  its  broad,  square  base  to 
fit  the  bottom  of  the  second,  and  the  top  of  the 
second  being  patterned  in  like  manner  to  the 
bottom  of  the  third.  Up  and  down  through  the 
centre  of  the  crowning  section  is  a  rent,  and  at 
the  point  where  its  lower  extremity  touches  the 
top  of  the  middle  division  is  a  little  soil  formed 
by  the  mixture  of  lodged  leaves  and  disintegrated 
rock,  and  supporting  a  flourishing  bnnch  of  rho- 
dodendron, which,  in  July,  hangs  out  its  scarlet 
flora  like  a  beautiful  bouquet  upon  the  bosom  of 
a  Colossus. 

The  great  Appian  Way,  leading  from  Rome  by 
way  of  Naples  to  Brundusium,  was  j)i'obably 
not  more  interesting  than  the  Yonahlossee  Boad. 
Statins  called  that  ancient  thoroughfare  the  Be- 
gina  Viarum,  which,  being  of  the  Latin  tongue, 
means  Queen  of  Boads.  It  was  projected  and 
partly  built,  B.C.  312,  by  Appius  Claudius,  the 
author  of  the  famous  dictum,  "  Every  one  is  the 
architect  of  his  own   fortune."     Its  width  was 


128  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

from  fourteen  to  eighteen  feet,  and  the  large, 
well-fitted  stones  with  which  it  was  laid  looked 
up  through  the  flying  wheels  of  Titus's  chariot 
and  saw  Vesuvius  shoot  his  fires  at  the  stars  and 
pour  down  the  cinders  under  which  Pompeii 
slept  for  two  thousand  years  in  the  peaceful 
arms  of  the  dead. 

High  over  the  E-egina  Viarum  were  the  in- 
verted images  of  ships  reflected  from  the  fluo- 
rescent waters  of  the  Mediterranean,  and  sailing 
on  the  fleecy  waves  of  the  sky.  Even  the 
beautiful  islands  of  that  sea  were  apparently 
inverted  above  the  horizon,  presenting  the  ob- 
server with  the  tinted  images  of  trees  with  their 
tops  downward,  mountains  projecting  from  the 
sky,  fat  cattle  grazing  upon  the  verdure  of  the 
heavens,  and  the  contending  armies  of  diflerent 
nations  and  creeds  intrenching  themselves  in  the 
clouds. 

Such  were  the  wonders  of  earth,  sea,  and  sky 
as  seen  from  the  ^^  Queen  of  Roads ;"  such  the 
exquisite  glimpses  from  which  Cicero  caught  the 
glorious  inspiration  that  filled  Home  with  elo- 
quence, and  the  world  with  classic  recollections. 
But  with  the  fall  of  the  Western  Empire,  the 
E-egina  Viarum  went  to  decay,  and,  during  the 
many  centuries  that  have  since  elapsed,  the 
Yonahlossee   Eoad,  around  tlie   south   side   of 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  129 

the  great  evergreen  Grandfather,  is  one  of  the 
few  public  highways  that  have  again  associated 
the  ease  and  elegance  of  travel  with  the  most 
ecstatic  delights  of  the  mind  and  heart. 

Three  miles  from  Linville,  that  beautiful 
branch  of  the  Yonahlosse,  designated  in  the 
*^  Ballad  of  the  Beech"  as  "  Kelsey's  Curves," 
turns  to  the  left,  and  winds  back  and  forth  up 
crags  and  through  huckleberry  balds,  the  dis- 
tance of  one  and  a  half  miles  to  the  hard 
knuckles  of  the  great  Grandfather,  which  being 
at  the  end  of  one  of  his  uplifted  arms  is  often 
gloved  in  a  cloud. 

From   this  beautiful  view,  a  foot-way  leads 
eastward,  more  than  a  mile,  to  the  highest  peak 
of  the  mountain,  where  it  will  be  met,  at  an 
early  day,  by  a  splendid  bridle-path  constructed 
from  a  favorable  point  on  the  Yonahlossee  Road. 
Four  miles  from  Linville,  and  one  mile  be- 
yond the  bifurcation  of  Kelsey's  Curves  with 
the  main  line,  the  "  Alpen  Way"  branch,  two 
miles  in  length,  turns  to  the  right  and,  cross- 
ing Beacon  Heights,  continues  to  the  summit  of 
Grandmother  Mountain,  which  we  have  hereto- 
fore called  the  Queen  Consort  of  the  reigning 
Grandfather. 

The  Princess,  Beacon  Heights,  standing  near 
the  king  and  queen,  extends  to  each  a  hand  of 


130  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

filial  love,  and  ever  looks  upon  the  father  with 
tearful  eyes,  like  a  Christian  daughter  endeavor- 
ing to  persuade  her  hard-hearted  parent  to  re- 
pentance. But  the  queen,  having  despaired  of 
softening  the  immovable  monarch,  glances  at  his 
frowns  with  resignation,  and  directs  the  attention 
of  her  guests  to  the  beautiful  wardrobe  of  the 
princess,  and  invites  them  to  the  horticultural 
displays  of  her  own  royal  gardens. 

The  two  beautiful  roads  which  we  have  men- 
tioned as  departing  from  the  Yonahlossee,  the 
one  to  the  left  and  the  other  to  the  right,  are 
like  twin  sisters  straying  from  their  mother,  by 
her  consent,  and  returning  with  myriads  of 
flowers  to  adorn  the  maternal  palace  of  love. 

From  these  splendid  drives,  which  have  been 
built  at  greater  cost  than  any  others  of  the  same 
length  in  the  South,  aged  persons,  and  those 
otherwise  unable  to  endure  the  fatigue  of  climb- 
ing, can  sit  in  the  carriage,  at  elevations  of  over 
five  thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and 
enjoy  as  fine  views  as  any  region  in  the  eastern 
half  of  America  affords. 

Chuckey  Joe,  in  "  The  Ballad  of  the  Beech," 
calls  a  shelving  rock  a  "rain-roost,"  because 
under  these  persons  often  perch  themselves  in 
times  of  rain.  On  the  fifteen-thousand-acre 
tract  of  mountain  land,  owned  and  improved  by 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  131 

the  Linville  Improvement  Company,  there  is  a 
number  of  delightful  "rain-roosts/'  and  where 
nature  left,  too  long  a  distance  between  any  two 
of  them,  it  has  been  divided  by  a  rustic  shelter, 
as  a  protection  against  the  hazard  of  sudden 
showers. 

Those  who  have  been  ducked  by  the  aid  of  a 
cloud  instead  of  a  minister,  can  readily  realize 
the  great  comfort  that  these  sheds  must  add  to  a 
summer  resort,  for  it  has  been  no  uncommon 
thing,  in  Western  North  Carolina,  to  see  a  party 
come  in  from  a  mountain  clamber  as  wet  as 
drowned  rats,  with  their  garments  flapped  about 
them,  and  their  persons  so  stooped  over,  to  con- 
ceal their  faces  from  view  until  they  could  get 
to  their  rooms,  that  it  was  impossible  for  an 
observer  to  tell  which  end  of  an  individual  was 
up. 

At  Linville,  where  the  august  drive  along  the 
side  of  the  Grandfather  is  met  by  the  beautiful 
road  from  Cranberry,  the  Western  Carolina 
Stage-Coach  Company  have,  among  their  many 
handsome  conveyances,  an  elegant  Concord  stage 
called  the  Awahili,  which,  being  of  the  Indian 
vernacular,  means  Eagle ;  and  when  this  is  drawn 
back  and  forth,  along  the  Yonahlosse  Road,  by 
six  splendid  bays  prancing  between  ornamental 
mazes  of  laurel  and  pine,  passing  mirthful  falls 


132  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

and  crossing  streams  like  "liquid  silver/'  the 
passengers  are  met  by  new  and  beautiful  objects 
of  entertainment  at  every  revolution,  of  the  fly- 
ing wheels  that  bear  them  onward  to  the  sump- 
tuous entertainments  of  Blowing  Rock,  or  to  the 
cheerful  accommodations  of  Eseeola's  brilliant 
halls. 

In  winter,  the  snowfall  at  Linville  is  lighter 
and  more  gentle,  and  the  climate  less  cold  and 
damp,  than  that  of  the  Northern  States;  in 
spring,  the  blooming  dog-wood  and  service  trees 
hang  out  their  white  curtains  as  flags  of  truce 
in  a  green  tasselled  army  of  innumerable  trees ; 
in  summer,  leagues  of  the  most  beautiful  leafage 
that  ever  waved  to  ^olian  breezes  stretch  across 
and  far  beyond  the  company's  broad  estate,  and 
in  autumn,  the  monarch  of  gentle  decay  walks 
through  the  land  with  a  many  colored  garment, 
robbing  the  leaves  of  their  verdure  and  painting 
on  them  a  thousand  tints  more  brilliant  than  the 
Tyrian  dye;  while  to  these  beauties  of  nature 
the  company  have  added  all  art  and  enterprise 
in  order  to  induce  pleasure-  and  health-seekers 
to  purchase  homes  of  peace  and  gladness  within 
their  beautiful  domain. 

All  around  this  infant  metropolis  of  the  High- 
lands are  flowers  for  the  botanist,  rocks  for  the 
geologist,  trout  for  the  angler,  landscapes  for  the 


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THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  133 

artist,  sublimity  for  tlie  poet,  recreation  for  the 
tired  business  man,  invigoration  for  the  weak, 
ease  for  the  okl,  and  for  the  young,  beautiful 
retreats,  where  Cupid  wields  the  subduing  power 
of  his  golden  dart  and  sends  his  victims  into  the 
royal  presence  of  Hymen,  presiding  beneath  his 
crown  of  sweet  marjoram. 

A   PLEASANT   JOURNEY. 

From  Linville  to  Blowing  Rock  there  is  a 
choice  of  ways.  If  you  want  to  take  it  leisurely 
and  catch  trout  as  you  go,  you  will  loiter 
up  the  stream,  for  the  distance  of  four  miles, 
to  Linville  Gap,  where  a  beautifully  pinnacled 
mountain  on  the  left  is  Dunvegan,  which 
Chuckey  Joe,  in  "The  Ballad  of  the  Beech," 
calls  "  Cloven  Cliffs." 

It  is  now  less  than  a  mile  down  the  gurgling 
brooks  of  the  Watauga  to  Grandfather  Hotel 
and  post-office,  a  white  house  nestling  so  near 
the  evergreens  that  the  sweet  odor  of  the 
balsams  is  wafted  in  at  the  doors,  and,  sweeping 
through  the  commodious  hall-ways,  cures  hay- 
fever  and  bronchitis,  and  prolongs  the  lives  of 
consumptives. 

About  fifty  yards  in  front  of  the  building,  at 
the  foot  of  a  declivity,  flows  the  prattling  infant 
Watauga,  teeming  with  speckled  beauties,  and 

12 


134  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

altliough  most  of  them,  at  this  point,  are  too 
small  for  the  osier  basket,  yet  plenty  of  nice 
ones  are  found,  only  a  mile  below,  where  crystal 
tributaries  have  swollen  the  stream. 

Along  the  opposite  bank,  from  the  hotel,  is  a 
narrow  strip  of  bottom,  about  twenty  yards  wide, 
from  whose  farther  side  rises  a  precipitous  hill, 
so  profusely  grown  over  with  rhododendron,  that 
in  the  blooming  season,  from  about  June  20  to 
August  10,  it  presents  the  veranda-sitting  tourist 
with  a  perfect  wilderness  of  the  gayest  flowers. 

This  is  the  blooming  base  of  the  great  ever- 
green Grandfather,  whose  highest  j)oint,  only 
three  miles  away,  and  just  a  few  degrees  south 
of  the  zenith,  is  reached  by  a  winding  path  that 
passes  by  the  coldest  perennial  spring,  isolated 
from  perpetual  snow,  in  the  United  States ;  its 
highest  temj^erature  being  only  forty-two  de- 
grees. 

The  neighborhood  of  Banner  Elk,  which  is 
five  miles  northwest,  is  reached  by  a  rough  road 
that  is  being  made  better,  while  one  mile  in  the 
rear  of  the  hotel  Dunvegan  rears  its  head  so 
high  as  to  obscure  the  North  star,  and  can  be 
surmounted  only  by  an  almost  pathless  clamber 
through  its  rocky  defiles. 

All  mountain  ramblers  concede  that  Grand- 
father Hotel  is  a  well-kept   house,  in  a  most 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN;  135 

delightful  spot,  and  watered  by  the  best  spring 
in  the  Highlands. 

It  is  said  that  a  drummer  once  dined  at  a 
hotel  where  the  dinner  was  brought  to  him  in 
side  plates,  and,  after  he  had  eaten  it  all  up,  he 
said  to  the  waiter,  "  Well,  I  have  enjoyed  your 
samples  very  much,  so  you  will  please  bring  in 
the  dinner."  But  Mr.  J.  Ervin  Calloway,  the 
proprietor  of  Grandfather,  and  his  good  wife 
Josephine,  do  not  bring  the  meals  in  mussel- 
shell  dishes ;  they  put  plenty  of  roasted  mutton, 
smothered  chicken,  buckwheat  cakes  and  maple 
syru]3,  unskimmed  milk  and  lots  of  other  good 
things,  in  capacious  vessels  on  the  table,  and  then 
tell  you  that  "  fingers  were  made  before  forks,  and, 
that  if  you  would  rather  use  them  than  the  tri- 
pronged  instrument,  to  just  crack  your  whip." 

All  classes  of  persons,  except  those  in  search 
of  gayety,  can  spend  a  week  or  a  month  as 
pleasantly  at  Grandfather  as  at  any  other  house 
in  the  mountains,  and  will  get  as  much  for  the 
price,  which  is  fifty  cents  for  single  meals,  one 
dollar  and  a  quarter  a  day,  seven  dollars  a  week, 
and  twenty-five  dollars  a  month. 

* 

shull's  mills. 

From  Grandfather,  your  objective  point  is 
Shull's  Mills,  six  miles  down  the  Watauga,  and 


136  TEE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

as  you  travel  along  a  good  road  between  bloom- 
ing buckwheat  on  one  side,  and  waving  corn  on 
the  other,  you  pass  the  village  of  Foscoe,  where 
birds  of  good  omen  have  always  flitted  through 
the  skies  of  William  H.  Calloway,  and  arrive  at 
your  destination,  where  J.  C.  Shull,  Esq.,  who 
has  a  splendid  wife  and  two  charming  daughters, 
and  lives  in  a  nice  unpainted  farm-house,  sur- 
rounded by  a  grassy  lawn,  will  give  you  nice 
country  board  at  fifty  cents  a  day,  three  dollars 
a  week,  or  ten  dollars  a  month. 

Around  Esquire  Shull's,  in  the  Watauga  and 
its  tributaries,  is  good  trout  fishing ;  and  it  was 
here  that  a  man,  who  thought  himself  wise,  once 
said  to  a  lad,  who  was  casting  his  line  upon  the 
waters,  "Adolescens,  art  thou  trying  to  decoy 
the  piscatorial  tribe  with  a  bicurved  barb  on 
which  thou  hast  affixed  a  dainty  allurement  ?" 
"  No,  sir,"  replied  the  lad  ;  "  I'm  fishing." 
At  ShuU's  Mills,  the  tourist  leaves  the  banks 
of  the  beautiful  Watauga  and  winds  the  rising 
curves  of  a  turnpike-road  for  the  distance  of 
seven  miles  to  Blowing  Kock,  where  all  classes 
of  board,  from  comfortable  to  fancy,  can  be  had 
at  pro  rata  prices;  and  prancing  steeds  and 
flying  phaetons  are  always  ready  at  the  stables 
of  Henkels  and  Craig,  or  at  those  of  Abernethy 
and  Yance. 


TEE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  137 

From  Blowing  Rock,  a  turnpike-road  leads 
twenty  miles  down  the  south  side  of  the  Blue 
Bidge  to  Lenoir,  the  terminus  of  the  Chester 
and  Lenoir  narrow-gauge  railroad,  which  con- 
nects with  the  Western  North  Carolina  at 
Hickory,  the  Carolina  Central  at  Lincolnton,  the 
Piedmont  air-line  at  Gastonia,  and  the  Charles- 
ton, Cincinnati  and  Chicago  at  Yorkville. 

The  same  gentlemen  who  keep  liveries  at  Blow- 
ing Bock  have  at  Lenoir  also  splendid  stables  for 
the  immediate  accommodation  of  those  who  are 
skyward  bound. 


BOONE. 

Eight  miles  north  of  Blowing  Bock  and  con- 
nected with  it  by  a  good  road  is  Boone,  the 
county-seat  of  Watauga,  where  board  that  is 
good  enough  for  a  king  can  be  had  at  W.  L. 
Bryan's  Hotel,  or  at  the  hotel  of  T.  J.  Coffey 
and  Brothers,  at  the  rates  of  twenty-five  cents 
for  single  meals,  one  dollar  a  day,  six  dollars  a 
week,  and  twenty  dollars  a  month. 

In  a  bottom,  not  far  from  the  court-house, 
Daniel  Boone,  for  whom  the  place  is  named,  once 
had  a  cabin,  and  the  pile  of  stones  that  still 
marks  the  place  of  his  chimney,  together  with 
the  location  and  name  of  the  town,  has  furnished 


138  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

the  "Bard  of  the  Highlands"  with   sufficient 
material  for  the  following  elegant  poem  : — 

BOONE. 

Among  Watauga's  fertile  hills, 

Where  music  flows  from  crystal  rills, 

And  health  is  victor  o'er  disease, 

And  vigor  lurks  in  ev'ry  breeze, 

And  all  the  forests  and  the  fields 

A  growth  of  richest  verdure  yields, 

And  fruits  and  flowers  profusely  grow  ; 

A  land  where  milk  and  honey  flow. 

Mountains  promiscuous,  heaped  and  piled. 

And  landscapes  wrapt  in  grandeur  wild, 

And  beauty  lingers  all  around 

And  reigns  in  majesty  profound. 

Within  this  mountain  solitude 

There  stands  a  village,  small  and  rude. 

Hard  by  the  base  of  Howard's  Knob, 

A  mountain  prince,  a  proud  nabob, 

Whose  rocky  bluffs  forever  frown 

With  dread  severeness  on  the  town. 

As  independent,  bold,  and  free 

As  promontory  on  the  sea. 

This  mountain  wears  a  look  austere. 

But  should  excite  no  hate  or  fear ; 

He  has  a  mission,  noble,  grand, 

Born  more  to  serve  than  to  command ; 

And  owns  a  mission  more  to  shield 

Than  arbitrary  power  to  wield ; 

He  courts  our  rapture  and  delight, 

And  not  suspicion  or  our  fright. 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN,  139 

So  many  blessings  from  him  flow, 
"We  crown  him  friend  and  not  a  foe ; 
He  guards  the  town  as  kind  and  mild 
As  the  fond  mother  guards  her  child ; 
And  when  the  town  is  wrapt  in  sleep, 
His  nightly  vigils  faithful  keep, 
And  holds  communion  with  the  stars, 
And  talks  with  Yenus  and  with  Mars, 
And  fain  would  shield  from  ev'ry  harm. 
He  checks  the  fury  of  the  storm, 
And  tempts  the  thunderbolt  to  lurch 
And  spare  the  steeple  of  the  church. 
And  waste  all  its  electric  fires 
On  his  defiant  rock}^  spires ; 
And  all  may  quench  their  raging  thirst 
Where  fountains  from  his  bosom  burst. 
And  roll  through  various  gorges  down 
And  waters  furnish  for  the  town. 
This  mountain  sage  is  old  in  age 
And  has  a  fame  for  hist'ry's  page ; 
He  is  as  old  as  Eden's  lawn, 
And  he  beheld  Creation's  dawn. 
Man's  life  is  like  the  flower  or  grass, 
But  he  lives  on  while  ages  pass ; 
A  thousand  years  ago  he  saw 
The  planets  roll  with  perfect  law. 
And  on  his  head  the  stars  did  shed 
Their  light,  and,  from  her  Eastern  bed. 
The  moon  rose  up  and  made  her  bow, 
And  smiled  the  same  as  she  does  now. 
He  notes  the  actions  of  mankind. 
Whether  for  good  or  bad  inclined ; 
He  saw  depart  a  savage  race, 
And  saw  another  take  its  place. 


140  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

A  hundred  years  or  more  ago 
The  Indian  bent  his  deadly  bow, 
The  well-aimed  arrow  quickly  sped, 
A  deer  did  bound  and  then  was  dead. 
No  village  then,  no  glittering  spires. 
The  stars  looked  down  on  Indian  fires ; 
No  golden  fields,  no  Sabbath  bells, 
The  hills  echoed  with  savage  yells, 
The  red  man  owned  the  vast  domain 
From  mountain  crag  to  fertile  plain ; 
He  thought  his  title  was  in  fee, 
And  oh,  how  happy,  wild,  and  free ! 
Eut  stop,  O  savage !  stop  and  think ; 
You're  standing  on  destruction's  brink; 
Let  all  your  hopes  be  turned  to  fears 
And  deep  despair  instead  of  cheers. 
"  The  die  is  cast,"  your  fate  is  sealed  \ 
"What  dreadful  foe  is  that  concealed 
In  yonder  copse?  with  flashing  eyes 
And  heart  that  knows  no  compromise ; 
With  such  a  bold,  determined  look 
That  death  he  could  undaunted  brook; 
An  iron  purpose  that  fairly  mocks 
A  thousand  savage  tomahawks. 
Oh,  savage,  now  thy  woe  bewail. 
For  Daniel  Boone  is  on  thy  trail, 
A  hero,  grand,  immortal,  brave. 
Whose  fame  grows  brighter  from  the  grave. 
A  hardy  yeoman,  warrior  bold, 
Enduring  heat,  defying  cold. 
Before  whose  awe-inspiring  tread 
The  savage  further  westward  fled 
Towards  the  sunset's  russet  glow, 
To  bend  again  his  deadly  bow ; 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  141 

A  woodsman,  artful,  cunning,  keen, 
A  foe  could  see,  himself  unseen, 
And  win  a  battle  in  retreat. 
And  brinoj  out  victory  from  defeat. 
Nor  Eoman  arm  was  e'er  so  strong, 
Nor  Spartan  valor  set  in  song, 
That  could  eclipse  our  hero  grand 
Who  gave  us  this,  our  Switzerland. 
This  John  the  Baptist  sought  a  place 
For  the  great  Anglo-Saxon  race ; 
And  soon  the  land  was  occupied 
By  civilization's  rushing  tide. 
What  meed  of  praise  could  be  too  great 
Our  hero's  name  to  celebrate  ? 
What  honors  could  our  race  confer 
Too  great  for  such  a  pioneer  ? 
What  village  would  not,  boasting,  claim 
To  wear  the  mighty  hero's  name  ? 
And  such  is  ours,  'mid  babbling  rills. 
Among  Watauga's  fertile  hills. 
Where  crags  and  stars  communicate 
The  highest  court-house  in  the  State. 
What  sacred  memories  hover  'round 
This  solitary  spot  of  ground. 
Where  stood  the  flue  of  Daniel's  tent ; 
A  pile  of  stones,  now  heaped  and  blent, 
Some  of  them  taken  rough,  unhewn, 
That  laid  the  corner-stone  of  Boone, 
And  others,  from  the  ashes  swept, 
Are  now  by  relic-seekers  kept ; 
And  still  a  mound  of  stones  remain 
Upon  a  richly-studded  plain. 


142  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

VALLE   CRUCIS. 

Seven  miles  west  of  Boone,  eight  miles  east 
of  Banner  Elk,  and  twelve  miles  northwest  of 
Blowing  Bock  is  Valle  Crucis  (Vale  of  the 
Cross),  where  there  is  bass-fishing  in  the  Wa- 
tauga, and  the  Mary  Etta  Falls  of  Dutch  Creek 
have  a  leap  of  eighty  feet  into  a  foaming  pool, 
that  is  bordered  with  an  evergreen  selvage  of 
laurel  and  pine. 

At  this  place,  the  hospitable  H.  Taylor  and 
his  descendants  have  built  handsome  estates  on 
the  ruins  of  Valle  Crucis  Abbey,  which  flour- 
ished under  Bishop  Ives  in  about  1845,  and  fell 
with  his  apostasy  to  Bome  in  1852. 

The  name,  Valle  Crucis,  is  said  to  have  been 
suggested  by  the  fact  that  two  mountain  tribu- 
taries, flowing  towards  each  other  and  emptying 
into  Dutch  Creek  below  the  falls,  form  a  cross 
with  that  crystal  stream,  in  the  centre  of  the 
beautiful  valley  where  the  Abbey  was  located. 

A  large  rustic  arm-chair,  made  and  occupied 
by  the  devout  William  West  Skiles  during  his 
missionary  work  at  Valle  Crucis,  now  sits  in  the 
front  piazza  of  Mr.  C.  D.  Taylor,  and  shoots  up 
its  fabric  of  rhododendron  and  calmia  boughs 
in  the  most  beautiful  style  of  the  Gothic  archi- 
tecture. 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  143 

The  very  best  rural  board  can  be  had  at  Valle 
Crucis,  at  reasonable  country  prices,  with  D.  F. 
Baird,  Sheriff  of  Watauga  County,  who  lives  in 
a  commodious  white  house,  where  the  air  without 
blossoms  with  the  odor  of  plenty's  horn,  and 
the  within  is  adorned  with  a  cheerful  wife  and 
three  rose-lipped  daughters  of  joy. 


/ 


144  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 


CHAPTEE  VIII. 

JOURNAL   OF   ANDRE   MICHAUX. 

[The  following  sketch  of  the  history  of  Andre  Mi- 
chaux's  career  is  condensed  from  the  memoir  prepared 
by  Professor  Charles  S.  Sargent,  of  Brooklyn,  Massachu- 
setts, as  an  introduction  to  the  journal  published  by  the 
American  Philosophical  Society  at  Philadelphia.] 

The  younger  Michaux,  in  tlie  year  1824, 
presented  to  the  American  Philosophical  Society 
the  manuscript  diary  kept  by  his  father  during 
his  travels  in  America.  The  first  parts  had 
been  unfortunately  lost  in  the  wreck  of  the 
vessel  in  which  Michaux  returned  to  France 
from  America,  and  no  record  is  jDreserved  of  his 
travels  in  this  country  from  the  time  of  his 
arrival  in  New  York  in  October,  1785,  until  his 
first  visit  to  South  Carolina  in  1787. 

The  first  notice  of  the  journal  which  appeared 
in  this  country  is  found  in  a  paper,  by  Professor 
Asa  Gray,  entitled  "  Notes  of  a  Botanical  Ex- 
cursion to  the  Mountains  of  North  Carolina,'' 
published  in  the  American  Journal  of  Science, 
in  1841.     This  brief  extract,  together  with  a 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  145 

more  detailed  account  of  tliose  parts  of  Micliaux's 
document  which  relate  to  Canada,  published  in 
1863,  by  the  Abbe  Ovide  Brunet,  directed  the 
attention  of  botanists  to  this  record  of  the  travels 
of  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  picturesque 
figures  in  the  annals  of  botanical  discovery  in 
America,  and  for  many  years  the  feeling  has 
existed  among  them  that  the  journal  which  fur- 
nishes an  important  chapter  in  the  history  of 
the  development  of  American  botany  should  be 
published.  The  American  Philosophical  So- 
ciety having  shared  in  these  views,  a  copy  of  the 
manuscript  has  been  placed  in  my  hands  for 
publication.  It  is  now  printed  as  Michaux 
wrote  it,  by  the  light  of  his  lonely  camp-fires, 
during  brief  moments  snatched  from  short  hours 
of  repose,  in  the  midst  of  hardships  and  often 
surrounded  with  dangers.  The  character  of  the 
man  appears  in  this  record  of  his  daily  life,  and 
any  attempt  to  correct  or  extend  his  words  would 
destroy  their  individuality  and  diminish  the  his- 
torical value  of  his  diary. 

The  journal  is  something  more  than  a  mere 
diary  of  travel  and  botanical  discovery.  The 
information  which  it  contains  in  regard  to  vari- 
ous plants  first  detected  by  Michaux  is  valuable 
even  now,  and  his  remarks  upon  the  condition 
of  the  remote  settlements  which  he  visited  in  the 

Q        k  13 


146  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

course  of  his  wonderings  are  interesting  and 
often  amusing.  They  record  the  impressions  of 
a  man  of  unusual  intelligence — a  traveller  in 
many  lands,  who  had  learned  by  long  practice  to 
use  his  eyes  to  good  advantage,  and  to  write 
down  only  what  he  saw. 

He  was  the  first  botanist  who  ever  travelled 
extensively  in  this  country,  although  it  must  not 
be  forgotten  that  John  and  William  Bartram, 
his  predecessors  by  several  years  in  the  same 
field,  did  much  to  prepare  the  way  for  his  wider 
and  more  detailed  explorations.  The  first  con- 
nected and  systematic  work  upon  the  flora  of 
North  America  was  based  largely  upon  his  col- 
lections, and  bears  the  impress  of  his  name, 
while  it  was  by  his  efforts  that  many  American 
plants  were  first  made  known  in  the  gardens  of 
Europe. 

Michaux  was  born  at  Salory,  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Versailles,  on  March  7,  1746,  and  early 
became  interested  in  the  cultivation  and  study 
of  plants.  He  left  Paris,  in  1782,  for  Aleppo 
and  Bagdad,  and,  after  travelling  extensively 
and  mastering  the  Persian  language,  he  returned 
to  Paris  early  in  1785,  bringing  with  him  a 
valuable  herbarium,  and  a  large  collection  of 
seeds. 

At  this  time   the  French  government   was 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  147 

anxious  to  introduce  into  the  royal  plantations 
the  most  valuable  trees  of  ea>stern  North  America, 
and  Michaux  was  selected  for  this  undertaking. 
He  was  instructed  to  explore  the  territory  of  the 
United  States,  to  gather  seeds  of  trees,  shrubs, 
and  other  plants,  and  to  establish  a  nursery  near 
New  York  for  their  reception,  and  afterwards 
to  send  them  to  France,  where  they  were  to  be 
planted  in  the  Park  of  Rambouillet.  He  was 
directed  also  to  send  game  birds  from  America, 
with  a  view  to  their  introduction  into  the  plan- 
tations of  American  trees. 

Michaux,  accompanied  by  his  son,  then  fifteen 
years  old,  arrived  in  New  York  in  October,  1785. 
Here,  during  two  years,  he  made  his  principal 
residence,  established  a  nursery,  of  which  all 
trace  has  how  disappeared,  and  making  a  num- 
ber of  short  botanical  journeys  into  New  Jersey, 
Pennsylvania,  and  Maryland.  The  fruits  of 
these  preliminary  explorations,  including  twelve 
boxes  of  seeds,  five  thousand  seedling  trees,  and 
a  number  of  live  partridges,  were  sent  to  Paris 
at  the  end  of  the  first  year. 

Michaux's  first  visit  to  South  Carolina  was 
made  in  SejDtember,  1786.  He  found  Charleston 
a  more  suitable  place  for  his  nurseries,  and  made 
that  city  his  headquarters  during  the  rest  of  his 
stay  in  America.     Michaux's  journeys  in  this 


148  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

country  after  his  establishment  in  Charleston, 
coyer  the  territory  of  North  America  from 
Hudson's  Bay  to  Indian  Hiver,  in  Florida,  and 
from  the  Bahama  Islands  to  the  banks  of  the 
Mississippi  Kiver. 

In  1788  he  was  called  upon  by  the  minister 
of  the  French  Republic,  lately  arrived  in  New 
York,  to  proceed  to  Kentucky,  to  execute  some 
business  growing  out  of  the  relations  between 
France  and  Spain  with  regard  to  the  transfer 
of  Louisiana.  This  political  journey,  and  a 
second  made  into  the  far  West,  occupied  long 
intervals  of  Michaux's  time,  covering  a  period 
of  about  seven  years,  at  the  end  of  which  he 
returned  finally  to  Charleston  in  the  spring  of 
1796.  His  nurseries  were  in  a  most  flourishing 
condition ;  they  were  stocked  with  the  rarest 
American  plants  collected  during  years  of  labor 
and  hardship ;  and  with  many  of  those  plants 
of  the  old  world  which  Michaux  was  first  to 
introduce  into  the  United  States.  The  tallow 
tree  {Stillingia  sebifera),  now  often  cultivated 
and  somewhat  naturalized  in  the  Southern  States, 
and  the  beautiful  Albizzia  Julibrissin,  were  first 
planted  in  the  United  States  by  him.  He  first 
taught  the  settlers  in  the  Alleghany  Mountains 
the  value  of  the  Ginseng,  and  showed  them  how 
to  prepare  it  for  the  Chinese  market, — a  service 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  149 

wliicli  gained  for  him  a  membersliip  in  the  ex- 
ckisive  Agricultural  Society  of  Charleston. 

His  movements  for  several  years  had  been 
impeded  and  the  success  of  his  journeys  inter- 
fered with  by  the  lack  of  financial  support  from 
the  French  government,  and  Michaux  found,  on 
his  return  to  South  Carolina,  that  his  resources 
were  entirely  exhausted.  An  obscure  botanical 
traveller,  almost  forgotten  in  a  distant  land,  had 
little  hope  of  recognition  from  Paris  during  the 
closing  years  of  the  last  century,  and  it  was  now 
evident  that  he  could  depend  no  longer  on  sup- 
jDort  and  assistance  from  France.  He  deter- 
mined, therefore,  rather  than  sell  the  trees  which 
he  longed  to  see  flourishing  on  French  soil,  to 
return  to  Paris. 

Michaux  sailed  from  Charleston  on  the  13th 
of  August,  1796.  The  voyage  was  tempestuous ; 
and  on  the  18th  of  September  the  vessel  was 
wrecked  on  the  coast  of  Holland,  where  the 
crew  and  passengers,  worn  out  by  exposure  and 
fatigue,  would  have  perished  but  for  the  assist- 
ance of  the  inhabitants  of  the  little  village  of 
Egmont.  Michaux  fastened  himself  to  a  piece 
of  plank,  and  was  finally  washed  ashore  uncon- 
scious, and  more  dead  than  alive.  His  baggage 
was  lost;  but  his  precious  packages  of  plants, 
which  were  stored  in  the  hold  of  the  vessel,  were 

13* 


150  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

saved,  though  saturated  with  salt  water.  He 
remained  in  Egmont  for  several  weeks,  to  regain 
his  strength  and  to  dry  and  rearrange  his  plants, 
and  did  not  reach  Paris  until  January.  He  was 
received  with  great  distinction  and  kindness  by 
the  botanists  of  the  Museum,  but  a  bitter  disap- 
pointment awaited  him.  An  insignificant  num- 
ber only  of  the  six  thousand  trees  which  he  had 
sent  to  France  during  the  eleven  years  he  had 
passed  in  America  remained  alive.  The  storms 
of  the  Kevolution  and  of  the  Empire  had  swept 
thi'ough  the  nurseries  of  Rambouillet,  and  Mi- 
chaux's  American  trees  were  destroyed  or  hope- 
lessly scattered. 

This  was  the  greatest  disappointment  of  his 
life,  but  he  was  not  discouraged.     His  longings 
were  to  return  to  America,  but  the  French  gov- 
ernment would  not  supply  the  necessary  means, 
and  on   the  IStli  of  October,  1800,  he   sailed-, 
with  Baudin  on  his  voyage  of  discovery  to  New 
Holland;    and   on   the  19th   of  February,  tliQ^^ 
following  year,  the  expedition  reached  the  Isle 
of  France.     Here,  after  a  stay  of  six  months, 
in  which  Michaux  made  his  first  acquaintance  ^ 
with  the  vegetation  of  the  real  tropics,  he  left  ^ 
the  party  for  the  purpose  of  exploring  the  island 
of  Madagascar,  which  seemed   to  offer  ,  a  ;niore  ; 
useful  field  than  New  Holland  for  his  labors.     -£, 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  151 

He  landed  on  the  east  coast,  and  at  once  set 
about  laying  out  a  garden,  in  which  he  hoped  to 
establish,  provisionally,  the  plants  he  intended 
to  bring  back  from  his  journeys  in  the  interior. 
Impatient  of  the  delays  caused  by  the  indolence 
of  the  natives  he  had  employed  to  prepare  the 
ground,  Michaux,  in  spite  of  the  warnings  of 
persons  familiar  with  the  danger  of  exposure 
and  over-exertion  under  a  tropical  sun,  insisted 
upon  working  himself  day  after  day.  He  was 
soon  prostrated  with  fever,  but  his  vigorous 
constitution  and  indomitable  will  enabled  him 
to  resist  the  attack,  and  his  health  being  partly 
restored  at  the  end  of  four  months,  he  was  ready 
to  start  for  the  mountains.  His  preparations 
were  all  made,  but  on  the  eve  of  his  departure, 
late  in  November,  1802,  he  was  attacked  again 
with  fever  and  died  suddenly.  He  was  only 
fifty-six  years  old,  still  in  the  prime  of  life,  and 
possessed  of  all  his  powers  when  his  useful 
career  was  thus  suddenly  brought  to  an  end. 


152  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

'      EXTRACT   FROM   THE   JOURNAL   OF   ANDRE 

» 

MICHAUX. — Translated. 

[The  Journal  of  Andre  Michaux  from  the  time  he 
passed  Charlotte,  on  his  way  to  the  mountains  of 
Western  North  Carolina,  until  he  returned  to  Charles- 
ton, from  which  point  he  had  started.] 

July  22. — Passed  tlirough  Charlotte  in  Meck- 
lenburg. Red  clay  soil;  quartz  rocks;  clear 
waters  formerly :  the  waters  have  the  color  of 
dead  leaves  or  dry  tobacco.  Vegetation,  red- 
oaks,  black-oaks,  and  white-oaks,  etc.  Actea 
spicata.  .  .  .  Slept  six  miles  from  Tuck-a-Segee 
ford. 

July  23. — Passed  through  Ben  Smith,  twenty 
miles  from  Charlotte.  Two  or  three  miles  before 
arriving  there  saw  the  Magnolia  tomentoso-glauca 
fol.  cordatis  longiorib.  Slept  six  miles  from  B. 
Smith. 

July  24. — Passed  through  Lincoln  and  dined 
with  Beinhart.  Calamus  aromaticus.  Slept  at 
the  old  shoemaker's. 

July  25. — Came  to  Henry  Watner,  now  Bob- 
ertson. 

July  26. — Arrived  at  Morgan  ton,  Burke  Court- 
House,  thirty  miles  from  Bobertson.  Frutex 
Calycantha  facies,  etc. 


TEE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  153 

July  27. — Stayed  at  Morgan  ton  on  account  of 
the  rain  and  sw,ollen  creeks  which  could  not  be 
passed  except  by  swimming. 

July  28. — Remained  at  Morganton. 

July  29. — Left  Morganton,  and  slept  at  John 
Rutherford's,  near  whose  house  I  went  over  a 
bridge  across  Muddy  Creek. 

July  30. — Came  back  into  the  usual  road, 
which  leads  to  Turkey  Cove,  and  arrived  at  the 
house  of  a  man  named  Ainsworth. 

July  31.^ — Herborized  on  the  Linville  high 
mountains,  southeast  of  Ainsworth's  residence; 
and  on  the  rocks  and  mountains  denuded  of  trees 
collected  a  little  shrub  {Leiophyllum  buxifolium), 

August  1. — Herborized  on  mountains  of  very 
rich  soil,  situated  to  the  northeast.  Measured  a 
tulip-tree  twenty-three  French  feet  in  circum- 
ference. 

August  2. — Herborized  towards  the  mountains 
to  the  northward. 

August  3. — Herborized  among  Cyperoides  and 
other  aquatic  plants. 

August  4. — Prepared  for  the  journey  to  the 
Black  Mountain. 

August  5. — Deferred  the  journey  on  account 
of  the  lack  of  provisions. 

August  6. — Set  out  and  reached  the  place 
called  Crab-tree. 


154  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

August  7. — Herborized  on  the  mountains  in 
vicinity  of  Crab-tree. 

August  8. — Herborized. 

August  9. — Continued  my  lierborizations. 

August  10. — Arrived  at  the  foot  of  Black 
Mountain. 

August  11. — Arrived  on  the side  of  Black 

Mountain.  (Among  the  plants  collected  he 
names  "  fox-grapes,  fruit  good  to  eat.") 

August  12. — Returned  from  the  mountain. 

August  13. — Arrived  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Ainsworth. 

August  14. — A  thick  fog  made  it  difficult  to 
explore  the  high  mountains.  Herborized  in  the 
valleys.  ^ " 

August  15. — Bain. 

August  16. — Journeyed  towards  the  Yellow 
Mountain  and  Bonn  (Boan)  Mountain.  Beached 
Towe  (Toe)  Biver,  Bright's  Settlement.  The 
principal  inhabitants  of  this  place  are  Davinport, 
Wiseman.  Collected  herbs :  Azalea  coccinea, 
lutea,  flava,  alba,  and  rosea ;  all  these  varieties 
of  the  Azalea  nudiflora  are  found  in  this  re- 
gion. 

August  17. — Agreed  with  a  hunter  (Davin- 
port) to  go  to  the  mountains. 

August  18. — Herborized  and  described  several 
plants. 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  155 

August  19. — Started  to  go  towards  the  high 
mountains. 

August  20. — Herborized  in  the  mountains. 

August  21. — Keached  the  summit  of  E-oun 
(Roan)  Mountain ;  found  in  abundance  a  small 
shrub  with  boxwood-like  leaves  which  I  formerly 
designated  as  Leiophyllum  buxifolium,  but  the 
capsule  of  which  has  three  cells  and  opens  at 
the  top.* 

August  22.— Reached  the  summit  of  the  Yel- 
low Mountain. 

August  23. — Returned  to  Davinport's  house. 

August  24. — Put  my  collections  in  order. 

August  25. — Rain. 

^t^yt«5^26l^  Started  for  Grandfather  Moun- 
tain, the  most  elevated  of  all  those  which  form 
the  chain  of  the  Alleghanies  and  the  Appala- 
chians. 

August  27. — Reached  the  foot  of  the  highest 
mountain. 

August  28. — Climbed  as  far  as  the  rocks. 

August  29. — Continued  my  herborizations. 

August  30. — Climbed  to  the  summit  of  the 
highest  mountain  of  all  North  America,  and. 


*  It  is  strange  that  Michaux  did  not  mention  the 
abundance  of  this  shrub  growing  on  the  bare  rocks  of 
Grandfather  Mountain. 


156  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

with  my  companion  and  guide,  sang  the  Mar- 
seillaise Hymn,  and  cried,  '^  Long  live  America 
and  the  French  Republic !  long  live  Liberty ! 
etc."  Le  30  3Ionte  au  sommet  de  la  plus  haute 
montagne  de  toute  VAm.  Sept.  et  avec  mon  com- 
pagnon  Guide,  chante  Vhymne  des  Marseillois  et 
crie  Vive  VAmerique  et  la  Repuhliq.  Frangaise, 
Vive  la  Liherte,  etc.,  etc. 

August  31. — Rain  all  day.     Stayed  in  camp. 

September  1. — Came  back  to  the  house  of  my 
guide  Davinj)ort. 

September  2. — Rain.     Herborized. 

September,  3. — Arranged  my  collections. 

September  4. — The  same  work. 

September  5. — Started  for  Table  Mount. 

September  6. — Visited  the  cliffs  of  the  moun- 
tain Hock-bill  (Hawk-bill)  and  of  Table  Moun- 
tain. These  mountains  are  very  barren,  and 
the  new  shrub  {Leiophyllum)  is  the  only  rare 
plant  found  there.  It  is  there  in  abundance. 
Slept  at  a  distance  of  six  miles,  at  Park's. 

September  7. — Started  for  Burke  Court-House 
or  Morgan  ton.  Slept  at  the  house  of  General 
MacDowal.  Saw  near  his  house  Spirea  tomen- 
tosa  in  abundance.  From  Burke  to  John 
Wagely's  house,  about  twelve  miles.    From  John 

Wagely's  to  Thomas  Young's,  .      From 

Thomas  Young's  to  Davinport's,  eight  miles. 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  157 

September  8. — Arrived  at  Burke  Court-House 
or  Morgaiiton.  Visited  Colonel  Avery  and 
stayed  at  his  house. 

September  9. — Started  in  the  evening  from 
Morganton ;  slept  three  miles  distant  from  it. 
Met  an  inhabitant  of  Stateborough,  Mr.  Atkin- 
son, who  invited  me  to  his  house. 

September  10. —  Reached  Robertson,  thirty 
miles  from  Morganton. 

September  11. — SlejDt  at  Reinhart's,  Lincoln 
Court-House,  fifteen  miles  from  Robertson. 

September  12. — Started  for  Yadkin  River  and 
Salsbury.  Slept  at  Catawba  Spring,  eighteen 
miles  from  Lincoln. 

September  13. — Went  to  Betty's  Ford  on  the 
Catawba  River,  twenty  miles  from  Lincoln. 
Slept  at  a  farm  eight  miles  before  coming  to 
Salsbury,  where  the  three  roads  from  Phila- 
delphia, from  Charleston,  and  from  Kentucky 
meet. 

September  14. — Passed  through  Salsbury,  a 
town  of  better  appearance  than  the  other  towns 
of  North  Carolina.  Fifty  miles  from  Lincoln  to 
Salsbury.  Continued  my  way  to  Fayetteville ; 
crossed  Yadkin  River  and  slept  fourteen  miles 
from  Salsebury. 

September  15. — Passed  several  creeks  and  low, 
but  very  stony  hills. 

14 


158  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

September  16. — Part  of  the  road  very  stony. 
Saw  the  MagnoL  acuminata  florib.  luteis :  Collin- 
sonia  tuberosa.  Came  then  upon  sandy  ground. 
Slept  at  the  house  of  Martin,  store-kee23er. 

September  17. — Continued  my  way  across  the 
sand-hills. 

September  18. — Keached  a  place  six  miles  from 
Fayetteville.     Lost  my  two  horses. 

September  19  and  20. — Employed  these  two 
days  in  searching  for  my  horses. 

September  21. — Found  one  of  the  two  and  .  .  . 

September  22. — Arrived  again  at  Fayetteville, 
formerly  Cross  Creek.  The  river  Cape  Fear 
flows  past  that  town.  Saw  in  my  herborizations 
swamps  which  surround  the  town.  Cupressus 
disticha,  thyoides,  often  together. 

September  23. — Started  from  Fayetteville  after 
having  had  the  satisfaction  to  read  the  news, 
arrived  the  evening  before,  from  Philadelphia, 
concerning  the  glorious  victories  of  the  Re- 
public. Slept  at  the  house  of  the  old  (?)  Mac- 
Cay,  fifteen  miles  from  Fayetteville  on  the  road 
from  Salisbury. 

September  24. — Took  the  road  from  Charles- 
ton on  the  left  and  passed  Drowned  Creek  at 
MacLawchland  bridge.  But  the  more  direct 
route  from  Fayetteville  to  Charleston  is  by  way 
of  Widow  Campbell  Bridge,  forty  (?)  miles  from 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  159 

Fayetteville.  From  Widow  Camj^bell  Bridge  to 
Gum  Swamp,  ten  miles  from  the  line  that  sepa- 
rates North  Carolina  and  South  Carolina. 

September  25. — Passed  through  Gum  Swamp 
and  slept  eight  miles  from  Fayetteville.  Saw 
the  Cupressus  thyoides  and  the  Cupressus  disticha 
in  several  swamps.  Saw  the  Andromeda  Wil- 
mingt.  in  abundance  in  all  the  swamps.  Liquid- 
ambar  peregrinum,  etc.  Two  miles  from  Gum 
Swamp  we  reach  South  Carolina. 

September  26. — Passed  through  Long  Bluff, 
a  small  hamlet,  two  miles  south  of  the  river  Big 
Pedee,  seventy-four  miles  from  Fayett-eville. 

September  27. — Passed  through  Black  Swamp, 
twenty-two  miles  from  Long  Bluff.  Col.  Benton, 
twelve  miles  from  L.  Bluff.  Black  Creek,  ten 
miles  from  L.  Bl.  Jefferis  Creek  ten  miles  from 
L.  Bl. 

September  28. — Passed  Lynches  Creek,  forty 
miles  from  L.  Bl. 

September  29. — Passed  Black  Biver,  thirty 
miles  from  Lynch  Creek.  A  certain  Lorry 
keeps  the  ferry  of  Black  Biver. 

September  30. — Arrived  at  Maurice  Ferry,  on 
the  Santee  Eiver,  fifteen  miles  from  Black  River, 
and  twenty  miles  from  Monk's  Corner.  The 
passage  of  the  ferry  was  dangerous,  and  I  was 
obliged  to  go  to  Lenew  Ferry.     It  is  twenty-five 


160  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

miles  from  Maurice  Ferry  to  Lenew  or  Lenew's 
Ferry. 

October  1. — Left  Lenew's  Ferry  and  passed 
tlirougli  Strawberry's  Ferry,  twenty-jfive  miles 
from  Lenew's  Ferry,  and  twenty-eight  miles 
from  Charleston.  Reached  the  dwelling-house 
near  Ten  M.  House. 

October  2. — Left  for  Charleston. 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  161 


DICTIONARY  OF  ALTITUDES 

(above  the  level  of  the  sea) 
IN 

WESTERN    NORTH    CAROLINA. 

TAKEN  FEOM  OFFICIAL   EEPOETS. 


WATAUGA   COUNTY. 

FEET. 

Blowing  Eock,  highest  town  in  the  State 4.090 

Boone,  highest  Court-House  in  the  State 3,250 

Grandfather  Hotel  and  Post-Office,  nearest  to  sum- 
mit of  Grandfather  Mountain 4,050 

Yalle  Crucis,  neighborhood  and  Post-Office 2,726 

ShuU's  Mills,  neighborhood  and  Post-Office 2,917 

Cook's  Gap,  of  the  Blue  Eidge 3,307 

Banner  Elk. 

Post-Office 3,900 

Beech  Mountain 5,541 

Hanging  Eock 5,224 

Sugar  Mountain,  Mitchell  County 5,228 

Grandfather  Mountain. 

Watauga,  Mitchell,  and  Caldwell  Counties..  5,987 
Dunvegan,  bluff  of  Eough   Enough   Eidge,  near 

Grandfather 4,924 

I  14* 


162  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

FEET. 

Howard's  Knob,  overlooking  Boone 4,451 

Bald  of  Eich  Mountain. 5,300 

Sugarloaf. 4,606 

Snake  Mountain 5,594 

Elk  Knob 5,574 

Pine  Orchard  Mountain,  near  Elk  Knob 4,800 

Eiddle's  Knob,  near  Elk  Knob 4,800 

Flat-Top,  near  Blowing  Eock 4,537 

MITCHELL   COUNTY  (East  End). 

Elk  Park 3,250 

Hump  Mountain,  near  Elk  Park 5,541 

Cranberry  Property. 

Iron  furnace 3,165 

Hotel 3,228 

Bellevue  Farm,  on  top  of  Fork  Mountain...  4,650 
Cranberry  Gap,  between  Cranberry  Creek 

and  Toe  (Est^toe)  Eiver 3,650 

Toe  (Estetoe)  Eiver,  at  Old  Fields  of  Toe 3,650 

Miller  Gap,  Blue  Eidge 3,733 

Montezuma 3,950 

LiNviLLE  Falls 

Sugar  Mountain,  near  the  Watauga  line  and 

overlooking  Banner  Elk 5,228 

LiNviLLE  Property. 

Eseeola  Inn 3,800 

Eighteen  miles  of  Yonahlossee  Eoad,  be- 
tween Linville  and  Blowing  Eock,  from 

4,000  to 5,000 

Beacon  Heights 4,650 

Grandmother  Mountain 4,764 

Grandmother  Gap 4,191 


V 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  163 

FEET. 

Linville  Gap,  Blue  Eidge,  head  of  Watauga 

and  Linville  Elvers 4,100 

McCanless  Gap,  Blue  Eidge,  between  Ban- 
ner Elk  and  Linville 4,191 

Beech  Knob 5,067 

Flat-Top  Mountain 5,026 

Grandfather  Mountain 5,987 

ASHE    COUNTY. 

Jefferson  Court-House 2,940 

Negro  Mountain 4,597 

Mulatto  Mountain,..., 4,687 

Three-Top  Mountain 4,950 

Paddy  Mountain 4,300 

Phoenix  Mountain 4,673 

Bluff  Mountain.... 5,060 

Peak  Mountain 5,100 

"White-Top  Mountain,  across  the  Yirginia  line 5,678 

WILKE   COUNTY. 

Wilksboro  Court-House 1,043 

Little  Grandfather  Mountain 3,783 

Tompkins's  Knob 4,055 

Deep  Gap,  of  the  Blue  Eidge 3,105 

CALDWELL   COUNTY. 

Lenoir  Court-House 1,185 

Patterson's  factory ! 1,279 

Hibriten  Mountain,  near  Lenoir 2,242 


164  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

BURKE    COUNTY. 

FEET. 

Morganton  Court-House 1,184 

Linville  Mountain,  south  end 3,766 

Short-Off  Mountain,  north  summit 3,105 

Table  Rock  Mountain 3,918 

Hawksbill  Mountain 4,090 

HEIGHTS   OF   THE   MOUNTAINS   AROUND 

ASHEVILLE. 

VALLEY    OF    THE    SWANNANOA. 

Junction  of  Flat  Creek  with  Swannanoa  Eiver....  2,250 

Joseph  Stepp's  house 2,368 

Burnett's  house 2,423 

Lower  Mountain    house,   Jesse   Stepp's   floor  of 

piazza 2,770 

W.  Patton's  cabins,  end  of  carriage  road 3,244 

Resting  Place,  brook  behind  last  log-cabin 3,955 

Upper  Mountain,  house 5,246 

Ascending  to  Toe  River  Gap,  passage,  main  branch 

above  Stepp's 3,902 

IN   THE   BLUE   RIDGE. 

Toe  River  Gap,  between  Potato  Top  and  High 

Pinnacle...... 5,188 

High  Pinnacle,  of  Blue  Ridge 5,701 

Rocky  Knob's  south  peak 5,306 

Big  Spring,  on  Rocky  Knob 5,080 

Gray  Beard 5,448 

CRAGGY    CHAIN. 

Big  Craggy 6,090 

Bull's  Head.....* 5,935 

Craggy  Pinnacle 5,945 


1  THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN  165 

BLACK   MOUNTAIN,  MAIN   CHAIN. 

FEET. 

Potato  Top 6,393 

Mt.  Mitchell 6,582 

Mt.  Gibbs 6,591 

Stepp's  Gap,  the  cabin 6,103 

Mt.  Hallback,  or  Sugarloaf. 6,403 

Black  Dome,  or  Mitchell's  high  peak 6,707 

Dome  Gap 6,352 

Balsam  Cone,  Guyot  of  State  maps 6,671 

Hairy  Bear 6,610 

Bear  Gap 6,234 

Black  Brother,  Sandoz  of  State  maps 6,619 

Cat-tail  Peak 6,611 

Eocky  Trail  Gap 6,382 

Dear  Mount,  North  Point 6,233 

Long  Eidge,  South  Point 6,208 

Middle  Point. 6,259 

NorthPoint 6,248 

Bowlen's  Pyramid,  North  End 6,348 

NORTH-WESTERN    CHAIN. 

Blackstock's  Knob 6,380 

Yeates's  Knob 5,975 

CANET  RIVER   VALLEY. 

Green  Ponds,  at  Tom  Wilson's  highest  house 3,222 

Tom  Wilson's  new  house 3,110 

Wheeler's,  opposite  Big  Ivy  Gap 2,942 

Cat-tail  Fork,junction  with  Caney  Eiver 2.873 

Sandofor  Gap,  or  Low  Gap,  summit  of  road 3,176 

Burnsville,  Court-House  Square .., 2,840 

Green  Mountain,  near  Burnsville,  highest  point...  4,340 


166  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

GROUP   OF   THE   ROAN   MOUNTAIN. 

FEET. 

Summit  of   the    road    from    Burnsville   to   Toe 

Eiver 3,139 

Toe  Eiver  Ford,  on  the  road  from  Burnsville  to 

Eoan  Mountai n 2,131 

Baily'sfarm 2,379 

Brigg's  house,  foot  of  the  Eoan  Mountain,  valley 

of  Little  Eock  Creek .'....  2,757 

Yellow  Spot,  above  Brigg's 5,158 

Bright's  Yellow 5,440 

Little  Yellow  Mount,  highest 5,196 

The  Cold  Spring,  summit  of  Eoan 6,132 

Grassy   Eidge    Ball,    northeast    continuation    of 

Eoan  Mountain 6,230 

Eoan  High  Bluff. 6,296 

Eoan  High  Knob 6,313 


FROM  BURNSVILLE  TO  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN. 

South  Toe  Eiver  Ford 2,532 

Toe  Eiver  Ford,  near  Autrev's 2.547 

North  Toe  Eiver  Ford,  below  Childsville 2,652 

Blue  Eidge,  head  of  Brushy  Creek 3,425 

Linville    Eiver    Ford,    below    head    of    Brushy 

Creek 3,297 

Linville  Eiver,  at  Pierey's 3,607 

Head-waters  of  Ivinville  and  Watauga  Eiver,  foot 

of  Grandfather  Mountain 4,100 

Grandfather  Mountain,  summit ,  5,987 

Watauga  Eiver,  at  Shull's  mill-pond ^  2,917 

Taylorsville,  Tennessee 2,395 

Whitetop,  Yirginia 5,530 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  167 

FROM  BURNSVILLE  TO  THE  BALD  MOUNTAIN — OBSERVA- 
TIONS MADE  BY  PROFESSOR  W.  C.  KERR,  OF  DAVIDSON 
COLLEGE. 

FEET. 

Sampson's  Gap 4,130 

Egypt  Cove,  at  Proffit's 3,320 

Wolf's  Camp  Gap 4,359 

Bald  Mountain,  summit 5,550 

VALLEY    OF   THE    BIG    IVY    CREEK. 

Dillingham's  house,  below  Yeates's  Knob,  or  Big 

Butte 2,568 

Junction  of  the  three  forks 2,276 

Solomon  Carter's  house 2,215 

Stocksville,  at  Black  Stock's 2,216 

Mouth  of  Ivy  River,  by  railroad  survey 1,684 

FROM    ASHEVILLE   TO    MOUNT   PISGAH. 

Asheville  Court-House 2,250 

Sulphur  Springs,  the  spring 2.092 

Hominy  Cove,  at  Solomon  Davies's 2,542 

Little  West  Pisgah 4,724 

Great  Pisgah 5,757 

BIG   PIGEON   VALLEY. 

Forks  of  Pigeon,  at  Colonel  Cathey's 2,701 

East  fork  of  Pigeon,  at  Captain  T.  Lenoir's 2,855 

Waynesville  Court-House 3,756 

Sulphur  Spring,  Richland  Yalley,  at  James  R.  G. 

Love's 2,716 

Mr.  Hill's  farm,  on  Crab  Tree  Creek 2,714 

Crab  Tree  Creek,  below  Hill's 2,524 

Cold  Mountain 6,063 


168  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

CHAIN   OF   THE   RICHLAND   BALSAM. 

FEET. 

Bichland,  between  Eichland  Creek  and  the  west 

fork  of  Pigeon  Creek,  and  at  E.  Medford's 2,938 

E.  Medford's  farm,  foot  of  Lickston's  Mountain...  3,000 

Lickston  Mountain 5,707 

Deep  Pigeon  Gap 4,907 

Cold  Spring  Mountain 5,915 

Double  Spring  Mountain 6,380 

Eichland  Balsam,  or  Cancy  Fork  Balsam  Divide...  6,425 

Chimney  Top 6,234 

Spruce  Eidge  Top 6,076 

Lone  Balsam 5,898 

Old  Bald 5,786 

CHAIN   OP   WESTENER'S   BALD. 

Westener  Bald,  north  peak 5,414 

Pinnacle 5,692 

GREAT    MIDDLE    CHAIN    OF    BALSAM    MOUNTAINS    BETWEEN 
SCOTt'S   creek   and   low   CREEK. 

Enos  Plott's  farm,  north  foot  of  chain 3,002 

Old  Field  Mountain 5,100 

Huckleberry  Knob 5,484 

Enos  Plott's  Balsam,  first  Balsam,  north  end 6,097 

Jones's  Balsam,  north  point 6,223 

South  end 6,055 

Eock  Stand  Knob 6,002 

Brother  Plott 6,246 

Amos  Plott's  Balsam,  or  Great  Divide 6,278 

EockyFace 6,031 

White  Eock  Eidge 5,528 

Black  Eock 5,815 


THE   GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  169 

FEET. 

Panther  Knob 5,359 

Perry  Knob 5,026 

VALLEY   OF   SCOTT's   CREEK. 

Love's  saw-mill 2,911 

Maclure's  farm 3,285 

Eoad  Gap,  head  of  Scott's  Creek 3.357 

John  Brown's  farm 3,049 

Bryson's  farm 2,173 

John  Love's  farm 2,226 

Webster  Court-House 2,203 


VALLEY   OF   TUCKASEEGE   AND   TRIBUTARIES. 

Tuckaseege  Eiver,  mill,  below  "Webster,  near  the 

road  to  Quallatown , 2,004 

Junction  of  Savannah  Creek 2,001 

Junction  of  Scott's  Creek 1,977 

Quallatown,  main  store 1,979 

Soco  Eiver,  ford  to  Oconaluftee 1,990 

Soco  Gap,  road  summit 4.341 

Amos  Plott's  farm,  on  Pigeon 3,084 

Oconaluftee  Eiver,  junction,  Bradley  Fork 2,203 

Eobert  Collins's  highest  house 2,500 

Junction  of  Eaven's  and  Straight  Fork 2,476 

Junction  of  Bunch's  Creek 2,379 

CHAIN  OF  THE  GREAT  SMOKY  MOUNTAIN,  FROM  NORTHEAST 
TO  SOUTHWEST,  FROM  THE  BOUND  OF  HAYWOOD  COUNTY 
TO   THE    GAP   OF   LITTLE   TENNESSEE. 

The  Pillar,  head  of  Straight  Fork  of  Oconaluftee 

Eiver 6,255 

Thermometer  Knob 6,157 

Eaven's  Knob 6,230 

H  15 


170  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

FEET. 

Tricorner  Knob 6,188 

Mt.  Guyot,  so  named  by  Mr.  Buckley,  in  common.  6,636 

Mt.  Henry 6,373 

Mt.  Alexander 6,447 

South  Peak 6,299 

The  True  Brother,  highest  or  central  peak 5,907 

Thunder  Knob 5,682 

Laurel  Peak 5,922 

Eeinhardt  Gap 5,220 

Top  of  Eichland  Eidge 5,492 

Indian  Gap 5,317 

Peck's  Peak 6,232 

Mt.  Ocoana 6,135 

Eighthand,  or  New  Gap 5,096 

Mt.  Mingus 5,694 

GROUP   OF   BULLHEAD,  TENNESSEE. 

Central  Peak,  or  Mt.  Lecompte 6,612 

West  Peak,  or  Mt.  Curtis 6,568 

North  Peak,  or  Mt.  Stafford 6,535 

Cross  Knob 5,921 

Neighbor 5,771 

Master  Knob 6,013 

Tomahawk  Gap 5,450 

Alum  Cave 4,971 

Alum  Cave  Creek,  junction  with  Little  Pigeon 
Eiver 1 3,848 

GREAT    SMOKY   MOUNTAIN,   MAIN    CHAIN. 

Eoad  Gap 5,271 

Mt.  Collins 6,188 

Collins'sGap 5,720 

Mt.  Love 6,443 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN,  171 

FEET. 

Clingman's  Dome 6,660 

Mt.  Buckley 6,599 

Chimney  Knob ;...  5,588 

Big  Stone  Mountain 5,614 

Big  Cherry  Gap 4,838 

Corner  Knob 5,246 

Forney  Eidge  Peak 5,087 

Snaky  Mountain 5,195 

Thunderhead  Mountain 5,520 

Eagletop 5,433 

Spence  Cabin 4,910 

Turkey  Knob 4,740 

Opossum  Gap 3,840 

North  Bald 4,711 

The  Great  Bald's  central  peak 4,922 

South  Peak 4,708 

Tennessee  Eiver,  at  Hardin's.  899 

Hill  House  Mountain,  summit  road  to  Montvale 

Springs 2,452 

Montvale  Springs,  Tennessee 1,293 

Marshall  Court-House,  Madison  County 1,647 

Warm  Springs,  "  "       1,325 

Bear  Wallow  Mountain,     "  "       4,638 

Panel  Eock  Station,  Tennessee  line 1,264 

NANTEHALEH  MOUNTAINS. 

Franklin  Court-House,  Macon  County 2,241 

Burning  Town  Bald,  "  "      5,103 

Eocky  Bald,  "  "      5,822 

Toketah,  "  "      5,373 

Wayah,  "  "      5,492 

Albert,  "  "      5,254 

Pickens's  Nose,  "  "      4,910 


172  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 


FEET. 


Henderson ville  Court-House,  Henderson  County..  2,167 
Bear  Wallow  Mountain,  "  "         4,233 

Bear  Wallow  Gap,  "  "  3,465 

Bald  Mountain  (or  Pinnacle),  "  *'         3,834 

Miller  Mountain,  "  "         3,889 

Sugarloaf  Mountain,  «  "         3,973 

Columbus  Court-House,  Polk  County 1,145 

Tryon  Mountain,  "  «       3,237 

Tryon  Station,  «  "       764 

Brevard  Court-House,  Transylvania  County 2,195 

Hymen's  Knob,  "  "       6,084 

Devil's  Court-House,  "  "       6,049 

Cassar's  Head,  South  Carolina 3,223 

Pinnacle,  "  "     • 5,555 

Hayesville  Court-House,  Clay  County 

Tusquitta  Bald,  "  "       5,314 

Medlock  Bald,  "  «       5,258 

Standing  Indian  (Mountain)  "  "       5,495 

Chunky  Gal  "  "  «       4,985 

Eobinsville  Court-House,  Graham  County 

Joanna  Bald,  .   «  "       4,743 

McDaniel  Bald,  "  «       ....r. 4,653 

Tatham's  Gap,  "  «       3,639 

Cheowah,  maximum,  "  "       4,996 

Murphy  Court-House,  Cherokee  County 1,614 

Winfrey  Gap,  «  "      3,493 

Peak,  «  «      3,937 

Knoahetah  Mountain  "  «      4,498 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  173 

FEET. 

Highest  summit  east  of  the  Mississippi,  Mitchell's 

Peak,  in  North  Carolina 6,707 

Highest  mountain  in  New  England,  Mount  Wash- 
ington, in  New  Hampshire 6,286 

Difference 421 

Among  the  peaks  jointly  possessed  by  Western  North 
Carolina  and  East  Tennessee  there  are  twenty-three 
which  surpass  Mount  Washington  in  height.  In  ad- 
dition to  these,  there  are  twenty-three  other  mountains 
which  exceed  six  thousand  feet,  but  fall  short  of  Mount 
Washington ;  and  there  are  still  seventy-nine  others 
which  exceed  five  thousand  feet,  many  of  them  closely 
approximating  six  thousand. 

Area  of  North  Carolina,  52,286  square  miles. 

Land  surface,  48,666  square  miles. 

Water  surface,  3,620  square  miles. 

Northern  boundary,  eastern  end,  lat.  36°  33'  15''. 

Easternmost  point,  Chlckamicomico,  long.  75°  27'  12". 

Southernmost  point.  Smith's  Island,  lat.  33°  49'  55". 

Western  boundary,  long.  18°  42'  20". 

Extreme  length,  503^  miles. 

Extreme  breadth,  187^  miles. 

Length  of  coast  line,  314  miles. 

Latitude  of  Ealeigh,  35°  47'. 

Longitude  of  Ealeigh,  78°  38'  5". 

Longitude  of  Ealeigh,  from  Washington,  1°  37'  57". 

Altitude  of  Ealeigh,  365  feet. 

Average  elevation  of  State,  640  feet. 

Population,  in  1890,  1,617,947. 


Number  of  counties,  96. 


15* 


174  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

MAGNETIC    NEEDLE. 

The  variation  in  1875  (and  1825)  was  3°  west  in  Curri- 
tuck ;  3°  east  in  Cherokee. 

The  zero  left  Eoanoke  Island,  its  eastern  limit,  in 
1790 ;  passed  Newbern  in  1850,  Ealeigh  in  1870,  Fay- 
etteville  in  1875,  Greensboro  in  1880. 

The  variation  increases  west  3 J  minutes  a  year. 
Direction  of  magnetic  meridian  N.  23°  W.  Motion  west 
five  miles  a  year. 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  175 


CHAPTEE  IX. 

A   CONDENSED    MEMOIR   OF    REV.    ELISHA 
MITCHELL,  D.D. 

Elisha  Mitchell,  D.D.,  was  born  in  Wash- 
ington, Litchfield  County,  Connecticut,  on  the 
19th  of  August,  1793. 

He  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1813,  was 
appointed  to  the  chair  of  mathematics  in  the 
University  of  North  Carolina  in  1817,  and,  after 
rendering  thirty-nine  and  a  half  years  of  the 
most  valuable  service  in  the  scientific  depart- 
ments of  that  institution,  he  perished  the  27th  of 
June,  1857,  in  the  sixty-fourth  year  of  his  age, 
and  was  buried  in  Asheville  the  10th  of  the 
following  July.  "  But  at  the  earnest  solicitation 
of  many  friends,  and  especially  of  the  mountain 
men  of  Yancey,  his  family  allowed  his  body  to 
be  removed  and  deposited  on  the  top  of  Mt. 
Mitchell.  This  was  done  on  the  16th  of  June, 
1858.     There  he  shall  rest   till   the  judgment 


176  TEE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

day  in  a  mausoleum  such  as  no  other  man  has 
ever  had.  Keared  by  the  hands  of  Omnipo- 
tence, it  was  assigned  to  him  by  those  to  whom 
it  was  given  thus  to  express  their  esteem,  and  it 
was  consecrated  by  the  lips  of  eloquence  warmed 
by  affection,  amidst  the  rites  of  our  holy  re- 
ligion. Before  him  lies  the  North  Carolina  he 
loved  so  well  and  served  so  faithfully.  From 
his  lofty  couch  its  hills  and  valleys  melt  into  its 
plains  as  they  stretch  away  to  the  shores  of  the 
eastern  ocean,  whence  the  dawn  of  the  last  day 
stealing  quietly  westward,  as  it  lights  the  moun- 
tain-tops first,  shall  awake  him  earliest  to  hear 
the  greeting  of 

*  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant  J  " 


THE   SEARCH   FOR    PROFESSOR   MITCHELl's    BODY. 

(From  the  Asheville  Spectator.) 

Messrs.  Editors, — Having  spent  a  week  at  the  scene 
of  this  memorable  calamity,  in  search  of  the  body  of  Dr. 
Mitchell,  and  assisting  in  its  removal  after  it  was  found,  I 
have  been  requested  by  sundry  citizens  to  give  to  the 
public  a  sketch  of  the  deplorable  event.  In  accord- 
ance with  their  request,  I  now  take  my  pen  to  give  you 
all  I  know  of  the  accident,  which  has  caused  so  much 
sorrowful  excitement  in  this  region,  and  which  I  doubt 
not  will  unnerve  the  public  feeling  to  its  centre  through- 
out the  State  when  the  sad  tidings  shall  be  generally 
known. 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  177 

It  is  known  to  all  who  have  felt  interested  in  our 
State  geography,  that  there  lately  sprung  up  a  dispute 
between  the  Hon.  T.  L.  Clingman  and  Dr.  Mitchell,  in 
regard  to  one  of  the  high  peaks  of  the  Black  Mountain 
put  down  in  Cook's  map  as  Mt.  Clingman.  The  former 
alleging  that  he  was  first  to  measure  and  ascertain  its 
superior  height  to  any  other  point  on  the  range,  and 
the  latter  gentleman  asserting  that  he  was  on  that  same 
peak  and  measured  it  in  the  year  1844.  After  several 
letters,  pro  and  con,  through  the  newspapers,  Dr.  Mit- 
chell announced  last  fall  his  intention  of  visiting  the 
mountains  again  for  the  purpose  of  remeasuring  the 
peak  in  dispute,  taking  the  statements  of  some  gentle- 
men who  had  acted  as  his  guides  on  his  former  visits, 
etc.  Sometime  since,  about  the  middle  of  June,  I  think, 
he  came  up,  in  company  with  his  son  Chas.  A.  Mitchell, 
his  daughter,  and  a  servant  boy,  established  his  head- 
quarters at  Jesse  Stepp's,  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain, 
and  began  the  laborious  task  of  ascertaining  the  height 
of  the  highest  peak  by  an  instrumental  survey,  which, 
as  the  former  admeasurements  were  only  barometrical, 
would  fix  its  altitude  with  perfect  accuracy.  He  had 
proceeded  with  his  work  near  two  weeks,  and  had 
reached  to  some  quarter  of  a  mile  above  Mr.  Wm.  Pat- 
ton's  Mountain  House,  by  Saturday  evening,  half-past 
two  o'clock,  the  27th  of  June,  at  which  time  he  quit 
work  and  told  his  son  that  he  was  going  to  cross  the 
mountain  to  the  settlement  on  Caney  Eiver  for  the  pur- 
pose of  seeing  Mr.  Thomas  Wilson,  Wm.  Kiddle,  and  I 
believe  another  Mr.  Wilson,  who  had  guided  him  up  to 
the  top  on  a  former  visit.  He  promised  to  return  to 
the  Mountain  House  on  Monday  at  noon.  There  was 
no  one  with  him.  This  was  the  last  time  he  was  ever 
seen  alive.  On  Monday  his  son  repaired  to  the  Moun- 
m 


178  THE  BALSAM  GUOVES  OF 

tain  House  to  meet  liis  father,  but  he  did  not  come. 
Tuesday  the  same  thing  occurred,  and  though  consider- 
able uneasiness  was  felt  for  his  safety,  yet  there  were 
so  many  ways  to  account  for  his  delay  that  it  was 
scarcely  thought  necessary  to  alarm  the  neighborhood ; 
but  when  "Wednesday  night  came  and  brought  no  token 
of  him,  his  son  and  Mr.  John  Stepp  immediately  started 
on  Thursday  morning  to  Caney  River  in  search  of  him. 
On  arriving  at  Mr.  Thos.  Wilson's,  what  was  their  aston- 
ishment and  dismay  to  learn  that  he  had  neither  been 
seen  nor  heard  of  in  that  settlement !  They  immediately 
returned  to  Mr.  Stepps,  the  alarm  was  given,  and  before 
sundown  on  Friday  evening  companies  of  the  hardy 
mountaineers  from  the  North  Fork  of  the  Swannanoa 
were  on  their  way  up  the  mountain.  The  writer,  hap- 
pening to  be  present  on  a  visit  to  the  Black,  joined  the 
first  company  that  went  up.  About  eighteen  persons 
camped  at  the  Mountain  House  that  evening,  and  con- 
tinued accessions  were  made  to  our  party  during  the 
night,  by  the  good  citizens  of  that  neighborhood,  who 
turned  out  at  the  call  of  humanity  as  fast  as  they  heard 
the  alarm,  some  from  their  fields,  some  from  working 
on  the  road,  and  all  without  a  moment's  hesitation. 
Early  on  Saturday  morning  our  party  under  the  com- 
mand of  Mr.  Fred.  Burnett  and  his  sons,  all  experienced 
hunters,  and  Jesse  Stepp  and  others  who  were  familiar 
with  the  mountains,  struck  out  for  the  main  top,  and 
began  the  search  by  scouring  the  woods  on  the  left 
hand  or  Canej'  River  side  of  the  trail  that  runs  along 
the  top.  We  continued  on  this  way  to  the  highest  peak 
without  discovering  any  traces  whatever  of  his  passage, 
when  our  company  became  so  scattered  into  small  par- 
ties that  no  further  systematic  search  couid  be  made 
that  day.     But  directly  in  our  rear  as  we  came  up  the 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  179 

mountain  was  Mr.  Eld  ridge  Burnett  with  some  more  of 
his  neighbors,  who  had  come  from  their  houses  that 
morning;  and  hearing  a  report  that  Dr.  Mitchell  had 
expressed  his  intention  of  striking  a  bee-line  from  the 
top  for  the  settements  without  following  the  blazed  trail 
way  to  Caney  River,  they  searched  for  signs  in  that 
direction,  and  soon  found  a  trail  in  the  soft  moss  and 
fern  that  was  believed  to  have  been  made  by  him,  and 
followed  it  until  it  came  to  the  first  fork  of  Caney, 
where  it  was  lost.  Nothing  doubting  but  they  were  on 
his  track,  and  that  he  had  continued  down  the  stream, 
they  went  several  miles  along  the  beat  of  the  river, 
over  inconceivably  rough  and  dangerous  ground,  until 
dark,  when  they  threw  themselves  upon  the  earth  and 
rested  till  morning.  Mr.  Stepp,  Mr.  Fred.  Burnett  and 
others  made  their  way  to  Wilson's  on  Caney  River  to 
join  the  company  that  was  coming  up  from  the  Yancey 
side,  and  the  writer  and  many  others  returned,  gloomy 
and  disappointed  to  the  Mountain  House.  Thus  ended 
the  first  day's  search.  During  almost  the  entire  day 
the  rain  had  poured  down  steadily,  the  air  was  cold  and 
chilling,  the  thermometer  indicating  about  forty-four 
degrees  at  noon,  whilst  the  heavy  clouds  wrapped  the 
whole  mountain  in  such  a  dense  fog  that  it  was  impos- 
sible to  see  any  distance  before  us.  It  seemed  as  if  the 
genii  of  those  vast  mountain  solitudes  were  angered  at 
our  unwonted  intrusion,  and  had  invoked  the  Storm- 
God  to  enshroud  in  deeper  gloom  the  sad  and  mysterious 
fate  of  their  noble  victim. 

Sabbath  morning  came,  but  its  holy  stillness  and  sa- 
cred associations  were  all  unregarded,  and  the  party 
camping  in  the  Mountain  House,  now  largely  augmented 
by  constant  arrivals  from  the  settlements,  plunged  again 
into  the  gloomy  forest  of  gigantic  firs,  and  filing  through 


180  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

the  dark  and  deep  gorges  struck  far  down  into  the  wilds 
of  Caney  Elver.  Mr.  Eldridge  Burnett's  party  returned 
about  two  o'clock,  bringing  no  tidings  and  seeing  no 
further  trace  whatever  of  the  wanderer's  footsteps. 
Still  later  in  the  dav  Messrs.  Fred.  Burnett  and  Jesse 
Stepp  and  party  returned  with  some  twelve  or  fifteen 
of  the  citizens  of  Caney  Eiver,  having  traversed  a  large 
scope  of  country  and  finding  still  no  trace  of  the  lost 
one.  The  rain  still  continued  to  pour  down,  and  the 
gloomy  and  ill-omened  fog  still  continued  to  wrap  the 
mountain's  brow  in  its  rayless  and  opaque  shroud.  Just 
before  dark  the  remaining  party  came  in,  unsuccessful, 
tired,  hungry,  and  soaking  with  water.  A  general  gloom 
now  overspread  the  countenances  of  all,  as  the  awful 
and  almost  undeniable  fact  was  proclaimed  that  Dr. 
Mitchell  was  surely  dead,  and  our  only  object  in  making 
the  search  would  be  to  rescue  his  mortal  remains  from 
the  wild  beasts  and  give  them  Christian  sepulture!  Jt 
could  not  be  possible,  we  thought,  that  he  was  alive,  for 
cold,  and  hunger,  and  fatigue,  if  nothing  worse  had 
happened  to  him,  would  ere  this  have  destroyed  him. 
Alas!  we  reasoned  too  well.  By  this  time  the  alarm 
had  spread  far  and  near,  and  many  citizens  of  Asheville 
and  other  parts  of  the  country  were  flocking  to  the 
mountains  to  assist  in  the  search  for  one  so  universally 
beloved  and  respected.  On  Monday  the  company  num- 
bered some  sixty  men.  New  routes  were  projected,  new 
ground  of  search  proposed,  and  the  hunt  conducted 
throughout  the  day  with  renewed  energy  and  determi- 
nation, but  still  without  avail.  On  Tuesday  the  com- 
pany of  Buncombe  men  separated  into  three  squads 
and  took  different  routes,  whilst  Mr.  Thomas  Wilson 
and  his  neighbors  from  Caney  Eiver,  took  a  still  more 
distant  route,  by  going  to  the  top  of  the  highest  peak 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  181 

and  searchirifi:  down  towards  the  Cat-tail  fork  of  the 
river.  They  were  led  to  take  this  route  by  the  sugges- 
tion of  Mr.  Wilson,  that  Dr.  jVIitchell  had  gone  up  that 
way  in  his  visit  to  the  high  peak  in  1844,  and  that  per- 
haps be  had  undertaken  to  go  down  by  the  same  route. 
They  accordinglj'  struck  out  for  that  point,  and  turning 
to  the  left  to  strike  down  the  mountain  in  the  prairie 
near  the  top,  at  the  very  spot  where  it  is  alleged  that 
the  Doctor  entered  it  thirteen  years  ago,  they  instantly 
perceived  the  impression  of  feet  upon  the  yielding  turf, 
pointing  down  the  mountain  in  the  direction  indicated 
of  his  former  route.  After  tracing  it  some  distance  with 
that  unerring  woodcraft  which  is  so  wonderful  to  all 
but  the  close  observing  hunter,  they  became  convinced 
that  it  was  his  trail  and  sent  a  messenger  back  some 
five  miles  to  inform  the  Buncombe  men,  and  telling  them 
to  hurry  on  as  fast  as  they  could.  The  writer  wiih  Mr. 
Charles  Mitchell  and  many  others  were  in  a  deep  valley 
on  the  head-waters  of  another  fork  of  the  river,  when 
the  blast  of  a  horn  and  the  firing  of  guns  on  a  distant 
peak,  made  us  aware  that  some  discovery  was  made. 
Hurrying  with  breathless  haste  up  the  steep  mountain 
side  in  the  direction  of  the  guns  we  soon  came  up  and 
found  the  greater  part  of  our  company  watching  for  us, 
with  the  news  that  the  Yancey  company  were  upon  the 
trail  we  had  been  so  earnestly  seeking  so  many  days. 
After  a  brief  consultation,  two  or  three  of  our  party 
returned  to  the  Mountain  House  for  provisions,  and  the 
balance  of  us  started  as  fast  as  we  could  travel  along  the 
main  top  towards  our  Yancey  friends,  and  reached  the 
high  peak  just  before  dark.  Here  we  camped  in  a  small 
cabin  built  by  Mr.  Jesse  Stepp,  ate  a  hasty  supper  and 
threw  ourselves  upon  the   floor,  without   covering,  to 

rest. 

16 


182  THE  BALSAM  GROVES  OF 

About  one  o'clock  in  the  night,  just  as  the  writer  was 
about  closing  his  eyes  in  troubled  and  uneasy  slumber, 
a  loud  halloo  was  heard  from  the  high  bluif  that  loomg 
over  the  cabin.-  It  was  answered  from  within,  and  in  a 
moment  every  sleeper  was  upon  his  feet.  Mr.  Jesse 
Stepp,  Capt.  Eobert  Patton  and  others,  then  came  down 
and  told  us  that  the  body  was  found.  Mournfully  then 
indeed  those  hardy  sons  of  the  mountain  seated  them- 
selves around  the  smouldering  cabin-fire,  and  on  the 
trunks  of  the  fallen  firs,  and  then,  in  the  light  of  a 
glorious  full  moon,  whose  rays  pencilled  the  dark  damp 
forest  with  liquid  silver,  seven  thousand  feet  above  the 
tide-washed  sands  of  the  Atlantic,  the  melancholy  tale 
was  told.  Many  a  heart  was  stilled  with  sadness  as  the 
awful  truth  was  disclosed,  and  many  a  rough  face  glit- 
tered with  a  tear  in  the  refulgent  moonlight  as  it  looked 
upon  the  marble  pallor  and  statue-stillness  of  the  stricken 
and  bereaved  son,  and  thought  of  those  far  away  whom 
this  sudden  evil  would  so  deeply  afflict. 

It  was  as  they  expected.  The  deceased  had  under- 
taken to  go  the  same  route  to  the  settlements  which  he 
had  formerly  gone.  They  traced  him  rapidly  down 
the  precipices  of  the  mountain,  until  they  reached  the 
stream  (the  Cat-tail  fork),  found  his  traces  going  down 
it — following  on  a  hundred  yards  or  so,  they  came  to  a 
rushing  cataract  some  forty  feet  high,  saw  his  footprints 
trying  to  climb  around  the  edge  of  the  yawning  preci- 
pice, saw  the  moss  torn  up  by  the  outstretched  hand, 
and  then — the  solid,  impressionless  granite  refused  to 
tell  more  of  his  fate.  But  clambering  hastily  to  the 
bottom  of  the  roaring  abyss,  they  found  a  basin  worn 
out  of  the  solid  rock  by  the  frenzied  torrent,  at  least 
fourteen  feet  deep,  filled  with  clear  and  crystal  waters 
cold  and  pure  as  the  winter  snow  that  generates  them. 


THE   GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN,  183 

At  the  bottom  of  this  basin,  quietly  reposing,  with  out- 
stretched arms,  lay  the  mortal  remains  of  the  Eov. 
Elisha  Mitchell,  D.D.,  the  good,  the  great,  the  wise,  the 
simple-minded,  the  pure  of  heart,  the  instructor  of 
youth,  the  disciple  of  knowledge  and  the  preacher  of 
Christianity  I  Oh  what  friend  to  science  and  virtue, 
what  youth  among  all  the  thousands  that  have  listened 
to  his  teachings,  what  friend  that  has  ever  taken  him 
by  the  hand,  can  think  of  this  wild  and  awful  scene 
unmoved  by  the  humanity  of  tears !  can  think  of  those 
gigantic  pyramidal  firs,  whose  interlocking  branches 
shut  out  the  light  of  heaven,  the  many-hued  rhododen- 
drons that  freight  the  air  with  their  perfume  and  lean 
weepingly  over  the  waters,  that  crystal  stream  leaping 
down  the  great  granites  and  hastening  from  the  majestic 
presence  of  the  mighty  peak  above,  whilst  in  the  deep 
pool  below,  where  the  weary  waters  rest  but  a  single 
moment,  lies  the  inanimate  body  of  his  dear  friend  and 
preceptor,  apparently  listening  to  the  mighty  requiem 
of  the  cataract!  Truly  "Man  knoweth  not  his  time, 
and  the  sons  of  men  are  entrapped  in  the  evil,  when  it 
cometh  suddenly  upon  them." 

Upon  consultation  it  was  thought  best  to  let  the  body 
remain  in  the  water  until  all  arrangements  were  com- 
pleted for  its  removal  and  interment ;  judging  rightly 
that  the  cold  and  pure  waters  would  better  preserve  it, 
than  it  could  be  kept  in  any  other  way.  At  daylight  a 
number  of  hands  went  to  cutting  out  a  trail  from  the 
top  of  the  mountain  to  where  the  body  lay,  a  distance 
of  three  miles,  whilst  others  went  -to  Asheville  to  make 
the  necessary  arrangements.  Word  was  also  sent  to  the 
coroner  of  Yancey,  and  to  the  citizens  generally  to  come 
and  assist  us  in  raising  the  body  on  Wednesday  morning. 
At  that  time  a  large  number  of  persons  assembled  at 


184  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

Mr.  Jesse  Stepp's  and  set  out  for  the  spot,  bearing  the 
coflSn  upon  our  shoulders  up  the  dreary  steeps.  We 
had  gone  near  ten  miles  in  this  way  and  had  just  turned 
down  from  the  high  peak  towards  the  river,  when  we 
were  met  by  Mr.  Coroner  Ayers,  and  about  fifty  of  the 
citizens  of  Yancey,  coming  up  with  the  body.  They 
had  got  impatient  at  our  delay,  and  enveloping  the  body 
in  a  sheet  and  fastening  it  securely  upon  a  long  pole, 
laid  it  upon  the  shoulders  of  ten  men  and  started  up  the 
mountain.  And  now  became  manifest  the  strenscth  and 
hardihood  of  those  noble  mountaineers.  For  three  miles 
above  them  the  precipitous  granites  and  steep  mountain 
sides  forbade  almost  the  ascent  of  an  unincumbered  man, 
which  was  rendered  doubly  difficult  by  great  trunks  of 
trees,  and  the  thick  and  tangled  laurel  which  blocked 
up  the  way.  The  load  was  near  two  hundred  and  fifty 
pounds  and  only  two  men  could  carry  at  once.  But 
nothing  daunted  by  the  fearful  exertion  before  them, 
they  step  boldly  up  the  way,  fresh  hands  stepped  in 
every  few  moments,  all  struggling  without  intermission 
and  eager  to  assist  in  the  work  of  humanity.  Anon 
they  would  come  to  a  place  at  which  it  was  impossible 
for  the  bearers  to  proceed,  and  then  they  would  form  a 
line  by  taking  each  other's  hands,  the  uppermost  man 
grasping  a  tree  and  with  shouts  of  encouragement  heave 
up  by  main  strength.  In  this  way,  after  indescribably 
toiling  for  some  hours,  they  reached  the  spot.  Here  was 
aiforded  another  instance  of  the  great  affection  and  re- 
gard in  which  the  deceased  was  held  by  all.  These  bold 
and  hardy  men  desired  to  have  the  body  buried  there, 
and  contended  for  it  long  and  earnestly.  The}-  said 
that  he  had  first  made  known  the  superior  height  of 
their  glorious  mountain  and  noised  their  fame  almost 
throughout  the  Union,  that  he  had  died  whilst  contend- 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  185 

ing  for  his  right  to  that  loftiest  of  all  the  Atlantic  moun- 
tains, on  which  we  then  stood,  and  they  desired  to  place 
his  remains  right  there,  and  at  no  other  spot.  It  would 
indeed  have  been  an  appropriate  resting-place  for  him, 
and  greatly  was  it  wished  for  by  the  whole  country, 
before  its  being  told  them  that  his  family  wanted  his 
remains  brought  down.  The}^  reluctantly  yielded,  and 
the  Buncombe  men  proceeded  to  bring  the  body  slowly 
down  the  valley  of  the  Swannanoa.  Before  leaving  the 
top,  the  writer  took  down  the  names  of  all  present,  and 
will  ask  you  to  publish  them  to  the  world,  as  men  who 
have  done  honor  to  our  common  humanity  by  their 
generous  and  disinterested  conduct  on  this  melancholy 
occasion.  I  am  no  flatterer,  Messrs.  Editors,  but  I  must 
confess  that  the  labor  which  these  mountain  men  ex- 
pended and  the  sacrifice  they  so  willingly  and  cheerfully 
made,  is  worthy  of  all  praise  and  admiration.  May  God 
reward  their  kindness.  I  feel  sure,  the  numerous  friends 
and  pupils  of  the  dear  deceased  would  rather  read  the 
list  of  these  men's  names  than  the  "  ayes  and  nays"  of 
any  Congressional  vote  that  has  been  recorded  in  many 
a  day. 

FROM   YANCEY. 

Nathaniel  B.  Eay,  I.  M.  Broyles,  Joseph  Shephard, 
Washington  Broyles,  Henry  Wheeler,  Thomas  Wilson, 
Jas.  M.  Eay,  D.  W.  Burleson,  G-.  B.  Silvers,  J.  O.  Griffith, 
E.  Williams,  A.  D.  Allen,  A.  L.  Eay,  Thomas  D.  Wilson, 
E.  A.  Pyatt,  D.  W.  Howard,  W.  M.  Astin,  James  H. 
Eiddle,  Dr.  W.  Crumley,  G.  D.  Eay,  Burton  Austin, 
James  Allen,  Henry  Eay,  T.  L.  Eandolph,  John  Mc- 
Peters,  W.  B.  Creasman,  S.  J.  Nanney,  Samuel  Eay,  E. 
W.  Boren,  Eev.  W.  C.  Bowman,  J.  W.  Bailey,  Thomas 
Silvers,  Jr.,  Thomas  Calloway,  Henry  Allen,  J.  L.  Gibbs, 

16* 


186  THE  BALSAM  GROVES   OF 

Jesse  Eay,  James  Hensley,  Eobert  Eiddle,  W.  D.  Wil- 
liams, J.  D.  Young,  William  Eolen,  G-.  W.  Wilson,  John 
Eogers,  James  Allen,  Jr.,  J.  W.  Ayres,  J.  F.  Presnell, 
E.  A.  Eumple,  W.  J.  Hensley,  D.  H.  Silvers,  E.  Don 
Wilson,  Jas.  Calloway. 


FROM   BUNCOMBE. 

S.  C.  Lambert,  William  Burnett,  E.  H.  Burnett,  E.  J. 
Fortune,  Ephraim  Glass,  J.  H.  Bartlett,  B.  F.  Fortune, 
A.  !N".  Alexander,  James  Gaines,  J.  E.  Ellison,  John  F. 
Bartlett,  F.  F.  Bartlett,  Elijah  Kearly,  E.  Clayton,  A. 
Burgin,  Jesse  Stepp,  D.  F.  Summey,  T.  J.  Corpning, 
Harris  Ellison,  T.  B.  Boyd,  A.  J.  Linsdey,  Joshua  Stepp, 
William  Powers,  E.  P.  Lambert,  Tisdale  Stepp,  Daniel 
Burnett,  Thaddeus  C.  Coleman,  A.  F.  Harris,  W.  C.  For- 
tune, Fletcher  Fortune,  Capt.  Eobert  Patton,  Cooper, 
servant  of  Wm.  Patton,  John,  servant  of  Fletcher  For- 
tune, Esq. 

A.  J.  Emerson,  Chatham  County,  A.  E.  Ehodes,  Jones 
County,  H.  H.  Young,  and  Moses  Dent,  Franklin  County ; 
all  students  of  Wake  Forest  College. 

This  list  does  not  comprise  all  who  assisted  in  the 
search,  as,  much  to  my  regret,  I  did  not  take  a  list  of 
any  but  those  present  at  the  removal  of  the  body.  I 
believe,  however,  that  the  names  of  all  are  recorded 
on  the  register  of  Mr.  Patton's  Mountain  House, 
where  the  friends  of  Dr.  Mitchell  can  see  them  when 
they  visit  (as  I  have  no  doubt  many  will)  the  scene  of 
his  death. 

This  ends  my  brief  sketch  of  this  melancholy  aifair. 
As  to  my  eulogy  upon  Dr.  Mitchell's  character  I  feel 
myself  unequal  to  the  task.  I  trust  that  it  will  be  ap- 
propriately pronounced  by  some  one  of  his  learned  and 


THE  GRANDFATHER  MOUNTAIN.  187 

devoted  fellow  laborers  of  the  University.  My  feeble 
pen  could  add  nothing  to  his  moral  and  intellectual 
stature.  I  will  only  say  that  I  loved  him  as  sincerely 
as  any  one  in  the  State.  I  am  gratified  to  be  able  to 
state  that  unusual  kindness  and  respect  was  exhibited 
by  every  citizen  of  the  country  throughout  the  whole 
transaction. 

Yours  truly, 

Z.  B.  Yance. 


THE   END. 


Beautiful 
Young: 
Balsam 

Trees 


FROM    THE 


sam  Groifes  of  tie  Graaitlier  iooiitaiii 

And  hundreds  of  other  showy  varieties  of  our 
beautiful  and  hardy  NATIVE  ORNAMEN= 
TAL  MOUNTAIN  TREES,  SHRUBS,  and 
FLOWERING  PLANTS  for  our  readers' 
Lawns,  Parks,  Drives,  and  Gardens. 


HIGHLANDS  NURSERY, 

Linville,  North  Carolina, 

{In  ike  Southern  A  lleghanies,  at  an  altitude  of  nearly  4000  feet,  in  Mitchell  Co.), 

ASKS   YOUR   SPECIAL    ATTENTION   TO   5IX 
SHORT  NOTICES. 

Note   First. — We  are  the  original  and  largest 

Nursery  of  Hardy  Native  Ornamentals  exclusively,  in  this 
country,  supplying,  as  we  do,  the  National  Arboretums  of  mnny 
Foreign  Coi;ntries,  as  well  as  Parks,  Cemeteries,  Nurseries, 
Gardens,  and  Private  Grounds  in  America. 

Second* — Hotels  will  be  given  Special    Rates. 

I  wish  to  be  in  correspondence  with  every  Hotel  Proprietor  or 
Manager  in  North  Carolina,  Tennessee,  and  Virginia  having 
grounds  to  beautify.     We  can  help  you.     (See  Third  notice.) 


Xliird, — Our   Seven  Years'  experience   enables 

us  to  be  of  Practical  Service  to  you,  if  you  believe  in 
artistic  and  attractive  lawns  and  grounds — whether  Public  or 
Private.  Streets,  Yards,  Drives,  Back-grounds,  Stone- 
works, Trellises,  Verandas,  Fences,  can  as  easily  be  beauti- 
ful and  attractive  as  bare  and  unsightly,  and  at  minimum 
cost. 

I^ourtll. — What   Highlands  Nursery   Grows  : — 

Deciduous  and  Evergreen  Trees,  Flowering  Shrubs,  Her- 
baceous Perennials,  Vines,  Orchids,  Ferns,  Aquatics; 
Rhododendrons,  Azaleas,  Kalmias,  Dogwoods,  Stuartias, 
Hollies,  Magnolias,  Maples,  Chionanthus,  Hypericums, 
Yuccas,  Shortia,  Dicentras,  Trilliums,  Clematis,  Sarrace- 
nias,  etc.,  etc. 

Kifltli. — Catalogues    Free.      Descriptive    Retail, 

Wholesale,  and  Special  Offers  for  large  Planters.  Liberal 
Discounts.     Write  us  for  any  information. 

Sixtli. — Don't  neglect  writing  us  at  once.  Visit- 
ors at  Linville  are  cordially  invited  to  inspect  the  Nursery, 
where  we  take  pleasure  in  showing  you  our  large  collection  of 
plants. 


••• 


LINVILLE, 


North  Carolina. 


ESEEOLA  INN, 

In  the  heart  of  the  beautiful  Grandfather  Mountain  region,  3807 

feet  above  sea,  has 

PERFECT   APPOINTMENTS, 
EXCELLENT   TABLE, 

OPEN   FIRES, 

TELEPHONE,   AND 

DAILY   MAILS. 


On  its  grounds,  removed  from  the  Inn,  are 

TENNIS  AND   ARCHERY   COURTS, 

BILLIARDS  AND  BOWLING, 

AND 

A  CHILDREN'S  PLAY-ROOM. 


NOBLE  ROADS  penetrate  for  many  miles,  unrivalled  scenery, 
and  rugged  mountain  climbs  invite  the  more  venturesome. 

Here,  added  to  delightful  coolness,  is  freedom  from  mosquitoes 
and  black-flies.     TROUT  in  all  the  streams. 

A  PLENTIFUL  LIVERY. 


TERIvIS      ^4:ODERAXEJ. 


For  Illustrated  Circular,  address 

E.  P.  HOLCOMBE,  Secretary, 

LiNviLLE,  Mitchell  County,  N.  C. 

(See  illustration  facing  page  122.) 


'^i 


^^1^ 


